Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice is thought to have been composed between 1596 and 1598. When The play was written, discrimination against Jews, or prejudice against Jews, was widespread throughout Europe. 

After the trial and killing of Roderigo Lopez, a physician of Jewish descent who served and was charged with poisoning Queen Elizabeth I, a new wave of antisemitism broke out. Jews were criticized as being 'greedy' and 'cruel money lenders'.
Some have critiqued The Merchant of Venice for responding to this antisemitism, but others have recognized how Shakespeare fought the antisemitism of his day by giving Shylock a human face. 

Other representations of Jews during the time, such as Barabas from Christopher Marlowe's play The Jew of Malta, which provided a more traditional and narrow representation of a Jew, contrast with Shylock.

It was also a time when men viewed women as property, making it incredibly challenging for women to own any real wealth or influence. It is crucial to take this into account to comprehend Portia's activities throughout the play, in which she subverts and takes advantage of patriarchal norms to further her power.

How important money is?

The central theme of The Merchant of Venice is the trade of money and its relative worth to other things, such as love and relationships. The drama originally presents Shylock as a figure who is primarily concerned with his money, in contrast to the Christian characters who are shown to be more devoted to their families, partners, and filial ties. 

These paradigms are, however, questioned throughout the play and ultimately overturned by Shylock's insistence on getting his way regardless of the cost, which suggests that he is more dedicated to justice and revenge than he is to wealth. 

Christianity and Judaism:

While it's true that the play's Jewish characters are frequently portrayed as stereotypical tropes, other moments clarify Shylock's character and call that interpretation into question.


Friendship.

The play depicts several close bonds of friendship, including that between Portia and Nerissa, Bassanio and Antonio, and Gratiano and Bassanio. 

In many ways, these friendships are prized above romantic relationships and have considerable influence over the choices made by the individual characters. For instance, despite frequently helping out his friend financially, Antonio willingly owes Shylock money on Bassanio's behalf. 

In their respective plans to save Antonio from Shylock's desires, Portia and Nerissa collaborate, and Gratiano stays true to Bassanio entire the play. The play makes the argument that these connections are more valuable than the allure of wealth or fame—a viewpoint that Shylock, the play's "villain," repeatedly exhibits signs of rejection.

Shakespeare uses Biblical references to explain why these characters can't get along, despite the play's emphasis on hatred between Christians and Jews. Many of the characters in the play who identify as Christians anticipate Shylock's compassion for Antonio during the trial—a sentiment exemplified by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. 

Shylock, who is Jewish, follows the Old Testament, which depicts a God who is noticeably less forgiving and who is eager to exact punishment for man's sins. Even though Antonio finally represents the merciful (and thus Christian) way of life in the play, Portia's need to explain mercy to Shylock demonstrates how his brutality is influenced by his religious views as well as his presumption against Christians.

Discrimination:

Perhaps the most important driving force underlying several characters' actions throughout the play is prejudice. Anti-Semitism, or prejudice towards Jews, is the most overt example of bigotry in the drama. 

In the play, Antonio calls Shylock a "dog" several times, and some people attribute Shylock's harshness and miserliness to his Jewishness (a prevalent stereotype). Shylock, who harbors his misconceptions about Christians, is horrified to hear that his daughter Jessica has decided to wed a Christian man. 

The fact that Shylock is coerced into becoming a Christian at the play's conclusion, then, is a substantial punishment despite its limited repercussions: the Christian characters appear to "prevail" in the play's finale by depriving Shylock of his Jewish identity. Despite modern readers. 

The Merchant of Venice questions the issue of prejudice more broadly, arguing that prejudice operates in a never-ending cycle that must be broken, even if modern viewers would likely perceive the entire play as anti-Semitic. Both readers and academics disagree on whether the play's characters end this cycle.

Financial Anxiety:

Money is at the heart of the play's fundamental conflict, and several characters—most notably Antonio, Portia, and Shylock—are depicted as affluent or financially successful. However, as the play's events go, wealth starts to take on more abstract meanings and is ultimately portrayed as being quite erratic and unpredictable. 

For instance, Antonio starts the play as a prosperous trader but finishes it unable to give back the loan he took from Shylock. In addition, almost every prosperous character in the drama struggles with feelings of despair or unfulfillment. 

As a result, the play adopts a skeptical attitude towards money and the chase of fortune above all else, implying that relationships like friendship are more dependable and durable.