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Audiobooks > Drama >  Shakespeare > The Merchant of Venice

Download The Merchant of Venice Audiobook

Extended Audio Sample The Merchant of Venice Audiobook, by William Shakespeare Click for printable size audiobook cover
3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 3.00 (67,028 ratings) (rate this audio book) Author: William Shakespeare Narrator: Elizabeth Klett Publisher: Author's Republic Format: Unabridged Audiobook Delivery: Instant Download Audio Length: Release Date: May 2016 ISBN: 9781518925955
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William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice was probably written between 1596 and 1598, and was printed with the comedies in the First Folio of 1623. Bassanio, an impoverished gentleman, uses the credit of his friend, the merchant Antonio, to borrow money from a wealthy Jew, Shylock. Antonio pledges to pay Shylock a pound of flesh if he defaults on the loan, which Bassanio will use to woo a rich heiress, Portia. A subplot concerns the elopement of Shylock's daughter Jessica with a Christian, Bassanio's friend Lorenzo. In its focus on love and marriage, the play shares certain concerns with Shakespeare's other comedies. Yet its depiction of the tensions between Jews and Christians in early modern Venice - and its highly dramatic trial scene in Act 4 - create darker currents in the play. Download and start listening now!

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Listener Opinions

  • 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Monica | 2/16/2014

    " My English teacher made my class read it and like most of the teens in my class, I was confused. Once I did get explanations from my classmate and the teacher line by line explaining things...I didn't like this book. Classic lit never really blows me away and it just doesn't keep me interested for very long. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Paul | 2/10/2014

    " I love Shakespeare because of the way all the plots became woven together and the complexity of the characters. The hypocrisy by some of the characters was very interesting. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Rob | 2/5/2014

    " Hard to enjoy today with the startling anti-semitism and the unattractive male leads (money-grubbing bachelors hunting for the wealthy brides/curiously unmotivated self sacrifice)....and bright, witty but manipulative portia. But some great passages. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Bhuvanesh Raj | 2/4/2014

    " One of my favorite book of Shakespeare. I love the way story gets unfold. Shakespeare has brilliantly portrayed the characters. Must read for those who love classic literature. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Idris Mohammed | 2/4/2014

    " Terrible memories of this literature. But you COULD say it wasnt half bad.. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Tara Lynn Tanner | 1/31/2014

    " Too many reduce this play to race and politics. There is a very human and fascinating story here. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 David | 1/18/2014

    " I have seen this play performed, but I have not read it the way I have read Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Angela Hill | 11/1/2013

    " The highlight of this play is certainly Portia's speech on the quality of mercy. We are all inclined to want our "pound of flesh." "

  • 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Dawn Araujo | 10/31/2013

    " I don't know how I feel about that. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Jenissa | 9/26/2013

    " Pretty good so far...I haven't figured out where it's going yet. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Abdullah AlSaidy | 9/8/2013

    " one of the best !! "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Brendan William | 8/22/2013

    " Another one of my all time favorites. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Arshia Zehra | 3/28/2013

    " its just a gr8 book.............don't have words for it........ "

  • 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Tory W | 3/18/2013

    " I wasn't sure about this story. Kind of strange and unclear. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Robin Canterbury | 3/5/2013

    " Shakespeare... nothing more to say :) "

  • 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Dmack | 6/5/2012

    " sorry not a shakespeare fan at all; read in college "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Peni Desiana | 5/8/2012

    " Bahan kuliah drama dan Skripsi. Double Trouble. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Felice Kelly | 4/28/2012

    " OK, so the whole Shylock anti-semitism thing sucks. In fact, it's a sharp reminder of how badly Jews have been treated even in supposedly permissive societies. But the play is funny and poignant and has a lot of lovely language in it. I recommend reading it out loud with friends. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Shereef | 11/21/2011

    " My favorite of all of Shakespeare plays "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Julie | 10/27/2011

    " Anything Shakespeare gets 5 stars from me. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Rachel (Sfogs) | 8/21/2011

    " My sister read it at school and said it was very good, and I completely agree! :D "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Beverly | 6/15/2011

    " I read this back in 7th grade, but I can't remember much about it unfortunately. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Mercedes | 5/15/2011

    " Reading this book made me fully appreciate Shakespeare's works. And at the end of it all, I could not help but pity Shylock. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Nina | 5/15/2011

    " So I'm reading this for school and I actually like it so far. I've just finished Act IV scene 1 and I'm preforming Shylock's soliolquy in Act III on Thursday. Overall, I've liked it and can't wait to read more Shakespeare this summer! "

  • 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Deepti | 5/13/2011

    " It has been read and over-read for school till it has lost all its dramatic value for me. But the true fact of the matter is that Shylock is an everlasting character who will never erase himself from common memory. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Richard | 5/10/2011

    " Of the very very few works by Shakespeare that I've read, this is the best. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Lacey | 5/6/2011

    " I enjoy reading Shakespeare although it can be a bit laborious at times. Thank goodness they aren't very long! This play had a profound message about mercy and justice. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Emma | 5/4/2011

    " One of my favorite Shakespeare plays! The racial and religious prejudice theme is so relevant today. I empathize with Shylock's character each time and I think this play really shows how Shakespeare was so ahead of his time. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Joash | 5/4/2011

    " i thought the play will end that shylock has taken his pound of flesh from antonio but it came as a suprise that the court ordered him to instead pay antonio for thretening his life. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Tom | 5/3/2011

    " A comedy? Really? Very dark. Could have been the Pulp Fiction of its time if Bill threw in some actual killing. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Jarika | 5/2/2011

    " Awesome...GREAT ending...this is what surprise endings are made of!!! "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Minah | 5/1/2011

    " Great play! It makes me still enthusiastic to read next line. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Marco | 4/27/2011

    " Poco divertente dal punto di vista della commedia, ma istruttivo e bello, scorrevole e dolce verso la fine. Shakespeare rimane un mito del teatro. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Mike | 4/26/2011

    " Yeah... I read it before we actually had to for English, so I have to read it again. Whatever, it's a good book. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Renee | 4/23/2011

    " Being an English major/English teacher, I enjoy almost all Shakespeare. Merchant of Venice is one of the first plays I read (high school) and I enjoyed it mostly for the vivid characters Shakespea created, especially Shylock, who garnered my ire and my sympathy. "

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About the Author
Author William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan and early Jacobean period, is the most widely known author in all of English literature and often considered the greatest. He was an active member of a theater company for at least twenty years, during which time he wrote many great plays. Plays were not prized as literature at the time, and Shakespeare was not widely read until the middle of the eighteenth century, when a great upsurge of interest in his works began that continues today.

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