The Merchant of Venice literature up until the 20th century depicts the Jew as "a monied, cruel, lecherous, avaricious outsider tolerated only because of his golden hoard". Many modern readers and theatregoers have read the play as a plea for tolerance, noting that Shylock is a sympathetic character. They cite as evidence that Shylock's "trial" at the end of the play is a mockery of justice, with Portia acting as a judge when she has no right to do so. The characters who berated Shylock for dishonesty resort to trickery in order to win. In addition, Shakespeare gives Shylock one of his most eloquent
Shakespeare for My Father she lost to Madeline Kahn), and went on to play in Canada, Melbourne, and at the Haymarket in London. The play received significant critical acclaim. "New York Magazine" described "Shakespeare for my Father" as "a one-woman show by Lynn Redgrave in which she reminisces about life with her father, Sir Michael Redgrave, with full scenes from Shakespeare's works", and stated that Redgrave's "sense of humor makes it a pleasure and privilege to watch". Patti Hartigan of "The Boston Globe" described the play as a "triumph", and Lloyd Rose of "The Washington Post" said of Redgrave's performance, "Particularly when she is