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 by the Sea, Newfoundland the Sea Festival Inc. is a registered charity (No. 891781841RR0001) with the Canada Revenue Agency and is a member of the Shakespeare Theatre Association and the Institute of Outdoor Drama.<br><br> 1993 The Tempest 1994 King Lear 1995 Twelfth Night 1996 Macbeth and Romeo & Juliet 1997 Macbeth, Hamlet, I Hate Hamlet and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead 1998 A Midsummer Night's Dream 1999 Much Ado About Nothing and Richard III 2000 The Mousetrap, Julius Caesar (play), Love's Labour's Lost 2001 Dial M for Murder, Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Merchant of Venice and A Streetcar Named Desire (play) 2002 The