Religious conversion and otherness in venice in shakespeare's the merchant of venice and othello

الملخص EN

This article examines the otherness of Jews and Muslims after their conversion to Christianity in The Merchant of Venice and Othello: The Moor of Venice.

The article argues that Shakespeare criticizes Venice, as its inhabitants appear to accept the converts and their residence in the city for the purpose of benefiting Venice economically and politically.

Specifically, the article investigates how Jews (Shylock and Jessica in The Merchant) and Muslims (Othello in Othello) are ostracized and mistreated regardless of whether the conversion is willing or forced.

In order to investigate this prejudice, the article considers the views of historians of and travelers to Venice about discrimination in the city during the Renaissance.

It also refers to social critics' views (such as Fredrick Russell's) about the Christians' suspicion of the efficacy of the converts' baptisms.

The article concludes that Shakespeare manifests that Venice is not a mythical city as it is imagined in the English and European mind; rather, Venice alienates and humiliates its non-Christian Venetian subjects.