Shylock
The following letter appeared (edited) in the Jerusalem Post, 28/11/10
Yiddish in Venice?
Sir: Apparently Al Pacino has fallen into the same trap as many others, playing Shylock in Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" as a Yiddish-speaking East European Jew of the kind familiar to Westerners ("Pacino's 'Merchant of Venice' a best buy" 24/11/10). But, in fact, Shylock, living in 17th century Venice would almost certainly have been a Sephardic Jew, speaking fluent Spanish (and Ladino) and Italian. Playing to our society's inbuilt prejudices makes Shylock a caricature, rather than a fully rounded and sympathetic human being. Nevertheless, full marks to Pacino for trying.
Jack Cohen
Netanya
Letter in THE WASHINGTON STAR 3/4/81
The BBC's Shylock
The portrayal of Shylock in the BBC production of "The Merchant of Venice" was supposed to represent a return to Shakespeare's original conception of him as an "alien Jew." But no Jew in Venice in that period could have spoken with a Yiddish accent. He would probably have been descended from Jews who had lived in Italy for centuries and would have spoken Spanish as well as Italian fluently.
Also, it is arguable that Italians use their hands in gesture more than Jews and both groups have similar "Mediterranean temperaments." In fact, the contrast of the gesticulating Jew with an East European accent compared to the cool, calm, imperious Anglified Christians in this production shows only too well how the three British Jews who produced, directed and acted in it have learned their roles and been truly assimilated.
This production tells us more about contemporary British culture than about Shakespeare's Venice.
Jack S. Cohen Bethesda, Md.
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose!
Note: The crucial obstacle to Shylock receiving his "pound of flesh" (in Venice it would have been metric) as argued by Portia (playing the young lawyer), was that he was not allowed to shed even one drop of the victim's blood. However, nowadays Shylock would have wheeled in a laser and cut the flesh with this rather than a knife, since when a laser cuts flesh it seals (and sterilizes) all blood vessels and there is no bleeding. However, the point Shakespeare was making is that Jews are cruel, and Shylock demands flesh from a Christian on forfeiture of a financial bond. So the whole issue is a construction that one can be assured would never have been allowed in a Christian court. But, it is a great play and does show the humanity of the Jew.
It is noteworthy that Shakespeare makes the female lawyer smarter than her male counterparts and often in Shakespeare's plays women are presented positively. However, Shakespeare had two daughters, neither of whom, according to contemporary evidence, were taught to read or write. This does seem to be a strange discrepancy, arguing against the historical Shakespeare as the author of the plays.
Yiddish in Venice?
Sir: Apparently Al Pacino has fallen into the same trap as many others, playing Shylock in Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" as a Yiddish-speaking East European Jew of the kind familiar to Westerners ("Pacino's 'Merchant of Venice' a best buy" 24/11/10). But, in fact, Shylock, living in 17th century Venice would almost certainly have been a Sephardic Jew, speaking fluent Spanish (and Ladino) and Italian. Playing to our society's inbuilt prejudices makes Shylock a caricature, rather than a fully rounded and sympathetic human being. Nevertheless, full marks to Pacino for trying.
Jack Cohen
Netanya
Letter in THE WASHINGTON STAR 3/4/81
The BBC's Shylock
The portrayal of Shylock in the BBC production of "The Merchant of Venice" was supposed to represent a return to Shakespeare's original conception of him as an "alien Jew." But no Jew in Venice in that period could have spoken with a Yiddish accent. He would probably have been descended from Jews who had lived in Italy for centuries and would have spoken Spanish as well as Italian fluently.
Also, it is arguable that Italians use their hands in gesture more than Jews and both groups have similar "Mediterranean temperaments." In fact, the contrast of the gesticulating Jew with an East European accent compared to the cool, calm, imperious Anglified Christians in this production shows only too well how the three British Jews who produced, directed and acted in it have learned their roles and been truly assimilated.
This production tells us more about contemporary British culture than about Shakespeare's Venice.
Jack S. Cohen Bethesda, Md.
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose!
Note: The crucial obstacle to Shylock receiving his "pound of flesh" (in Venice it would have been metric) as argued by Portia (playing the young lawyer), was that he was not allowed to shed even one drop of the victim's blood. However, nowadays Shylock would have wheeled in a laser and cut the flesh with this rather than a knife, since when a laser cuts flesh it seals (and sterilizes) all blood vessels and there is no bleeding. However, the point Shakespeare was making is that Jews are cruel, and Shylock demands flesh from a Christian on forfeiture of a financial bond. So the whole issue is a construction that one can be assured would never have been allowed in a Christian court. But, it is a great play and does show the humanity of the Jew.
It is noteworthy that Shakespeare makes the female lawyer smarter than her male counterparts and often in Shakespeare's plays women are presented positively. However, Shakespeare had two daughters, neither of whom, according to contemporary evidence, were taught to read or write. This does seem to be a strange discrepancy, arguing against the historical Shakespeare as the author of the plays.
posted by Jack Cohen at 7:11 AM
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