The Last Days of Shylock

The Last Days of Shylock

Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice has traditionally been viewed as an antisemitic play as the antagonist of the story, Shylock, is a stereotype of a greedy, jealous, and vengeful Jewish merchant. The Last Days of Shylock by Ludwig Lewisohn redeems Shakespeare’s “villain,” allowing us to see the events of the play through Shylock’s eyes. Arthur Szyk, a Jewish illustrator and activist artist partnered with Lewisohn to illustrate his novel.