English 10: Merchant of Venice Project (Mr. Demers)
Some research topics to choose from:


(1) Attitudes towards Jews in Shakespeare’s England

  • Why were Jews and Christians separated in Shakespeare’s time?
  • How was this separation delineated in society?
  • What rights and privileges did Christians have that Jews did not?
  • Research the deportation of Jews in England under Edward I in 1290 and the re-establishment of Jewish communities (ghettos) under Cromwell in 1656.
  • Who was Dr. Roderigo Lopez (Queen Elizabeth)

(2) Jews and money-lending. One major stereotype about Jews involves money.

  • How did the exclusion of Jews from guilds, their inability to own land, and the Christian prohibition against usury lead to the subsequent creation of “middleman” occupations such as money lending, selling, and estate management?
  • What were the politics of money lending in Elizabethan England, especially under Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I.
  • Given these laws and what you know about the restrictions on Jews regarding property, why did many then turn to usury?
       

(3) Role of women in 16th century England
  • What role did women have in society?
  • How much choice did they get in their affairs (e.g. who they married, where they lived, etc.)?
  • What rights did they have when they married?

(4) Social hierarchies in 16th century
  • How was life different rich/poor? Master/servant?
  • What different classes were there? How did they interact?

(5) Sources for The Merchant of Venice
  • Where did Shakespeare find the idea for the play?
  • What other stories/plays might have influenced him?
  • What is the original title?
  • How was it received by audiences?

(6) The Venetian ghetto
  • What is it?
  • Why was it founded?
  • What role did Jews play in Venetian society?

(7) Venice in the 1500-1600’s.
  • What was its status?
  • Why so it powerful?
  • Where did it get its wealth?
  • What was its relationship with other nations in Europe
  • What was the political structure/organization?

(8) Shakespearean view of Comedy and Tragedy
  • What were the elements of tragedy and comedy in Shakespeare’s time?
  • How does it differ from what came before? After?
  • How was humour used in the plays?
  • What are some of Shakespeare’s most famous comedies and tragedies?

(9) Offer a history of anti-Semitism.
  • Where does anti-Semitism “come from?” What are the historical “roots” of it?
  • What are some significant historical events that contribute to it?
  • How have historical impacted views/perceptions?
  • What are “modern” examples of anti-Semetism?



Merchant of Venice Research Project Rubric:
 
Some Websites to Begin Your Online Research:
Wikipedia: The Merchant of Venice 

Topic 1
Queen Elizabeth I : Jews and Catholics (includes a history of  persecution of Jews in England from 1290-1655)
National Library of Medicine: Roderigo Lopez 
1594: A Queen's Doctor is Executed 
Wikipedia: Roderigo Lopez 
Topic 2
My Jewish Learning: Jewish Moneylending 
Jewish History Blog- The Rothschilds: From Moneylending to Banking 
Topic 3
Elizabethan Era: Women 
Elizabethan Women 
Topic 4
The British Library: The Social Structure in Elizabethan England 
The Tudor Group: Social Structure in the 16th Century
Topic 5
The National Library of Israel: Who Was the Real Merchant of Venice? 
Sources for the Merchant of Venice 
Royal Shakespeare Company: Dates and Sources for Merchant of Venice
Topics 6 & 7
Wikipedia: A History of the Jews in Venice 
Wikipedia: Venetian Ghetto 
Jewish Virtual Library: Venice, Italy 
Venice - Beit Hatfutsot: The Museum of the Jewish People
Top 8
Characteristics of Comedies and Tragedies - A Debatable List 
Topic 9
Wikipedia: History of Jews in England 
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: Anti-semitism Embedded in British Culture
Presentation

You may choose to use any format you wish for your presentation.
For some ideas of presentation and sharing tools, check out some ideas HERE.