The Merchant of Venice
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Here is the tale of young Bassanio, who, to win the love of fair Portia, entangles his dearest friend, Antonio, in a dangerous bargain with the moneylender Shylock. Only Bassanio’s heartfelt efforts -- and a clever intervention by Portia -- will save Antonio from paying Shylock "a pound of flesh." Moody and mesmerizing, this graphic novel adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s more controversial plays boasts a chic modern cast, high drama, and all the dark, familiar beauty of Venice. With elegant, contemporary artwork and a faithful but succinct adaptation, this graphic novel casts a classic drama in a provocative new light.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Fans of the play will find this an intriguing adaptation. Hinds sets his version in modern dress and dramatically edits the text to the basics while keeping the Shakespearean flavor of the dialogue (increasingly as the book goes on). The coloring in shades of slate blue and pale gray gives it an antique patina that's counterbalanced by the way Hinds leaves construction lines visible. That makes it feel like reading someone's unpolished sketchbook, as though the characters were observed, not created. It's always a benefit to see Shakespeare acted out, to make the universal situations clear to the modern viewer, and that benefit extends to the graphic medium, especially when the characters have a sense of motion, as here. Some aspects of the original are still discomforting; Hinds is faithful to the play in its treatment of the bloodthirsty, money-hungry Shylock, and some readers may be put off by the inclusion of lines such as \x93you may be pleased to collect whatever usurious interest pleases your Jew heart.\x94 An author's note encourages further research on that matter and clarifies some of Hinds's creative decisions.
Customer Reviews
Reintroducing the Classics
After my experience with the classics in high school, I never thought I’d ever touch them again as an adult. Gareth Hinds brings a level of depth to his artistic interpretations that enabled me to appreciate the language at level I never understood the first time around. These graphic novels are not the watered down interpretations typically geared towards the education market. Hinds layers sophisticated art worthy of pairing with such timeless stories that will have adults and students alike savoring the finer points. Had these graphic approaches been around when I was in high school, I would have been able to access the discussion instead of tuning it out.