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Shakespeare had many Anti-Semitic Views that were prevalent in England at the time that he was writing, but he did not have any opinions that were much stronger than the general environment. He also gives Jews a more human character than many contemporaries. See the below discussion for a better understanding of Shakespeare's views.

During the time of Shakespeare Jews didn't live in England (they were cast out by Edward the 1st.)

It is probable that Shakespeare had never seen a Jew in his life, however in 1594 a famous Jew stood for trial - Rodrigo Lopez and scholars believe that Shakespearean knowledge about Jews came from this famous trial.

in 1597 Shakespeare wrote "the merchant of Venice" which besides the endemic antisemitic views of that time also portrays the Jew as human in a certain "spin" in the famous monologue

"Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?" 3:1

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13y ago

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