{"product_id":"2940013001718","title":"Shylock is Laban","description":"Who is the Merchant of Venice? Antonio or Shylock? Antonio has several ships coming back from the Orient and other points, which are due to arrive. But the Merchant refers to the Merchants in the Temple, who Christ drove out of the Temple, because they were exchanging money within the Temple. His Father's house. In Shakespeare's London, the Tempel had not existed for sixteen hundred years. There had been no Jews in England for four hundred years. However, the property of the Church, had been sold off to enrich the King's followers within Shakespeare's lifetime. \u003cbr\u003e     Instead of being driven from the Temple, they had taken over the 'Church.' No man could call them out by name, because 'they' included the King, in Shakespeare's time, the Queen. To use the word heretic, would have cost Shakespeare his neck, however, the word Jew or Moor aroused no suspicion from the censor who reviewed each play. Why not as Shylock says, remember Rebecca, the wise woman who stole Isaac's blessing for her favored son, Jacob. Is stealing the blessing of God, bad? Jacob did it. Why not us? \u003cbr\u003e     A blessing or a monastery, what's the difference?\u003cbr\u003e     See the Merchant of Venice through reading Genesis, the story of Jacob going to visit his uncle Laban, to find a wife from among Laban's daughter's. Laban promised his favored daughter Rachel to Jacob, but instead tricked Jacob,by substituting Lia. Jacob lied to Isaac, therefore it was fitting for Jacob to be punished by a lie. Again and again, Laban became rich through the work of his nephew Jacob, but eventually the hand of God, returned everything to Jacob, leaving Laban with nothing. \u003cbr\u003e    Shylock calls out that he wishes to see his daughter dead at his feet. When Laban overtakes the fleeing Jacob, Laban insists, and Jacob agrees whoever stole Laban's gods, should be killed. Neither man knows that Rachel stole Laban's gods. Jacob called for the death of his wife, Laban his daughter. As neither knew the identity of the thief, we do not know the identity of Shylock, until almost the end of the play. But if we listen carefully, we will see, that Shylock is Laban. \u003cbr\u003e    The Merchant of Venice is the retelling of the story of Jacob and Laban, the Prodigal son, and several other Bibical stories. Wovern throughout the play, are stories from the forty days of Lent, and the further fifty days from Easter to Pentecost, the period of the loan. Shakespeare follows Christ's advice, I will not speak to them except through parables, I will open My mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world. Parables are understandable only to those who believe, without belief, seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand. Read Shylock is Laban, to discover what parables Shakespeare used to speak to the groundlings, who believed and understood for they were the good seed, in his beloved Festival Theatre.","brand":"Shakespeare Codex Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079161659632,"sku":"2940013001718","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013001718","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}