Human rights and duplicity in measures in Shakespeare's the merchant of Venice

Abstract EN

Although William Shakespeare lived and wrote his works during the Renaissance period, his works are never time or age-specific.

His themes are relatable in all ages.

His characters can be easily identified with by various peoples.

That fact is what makes for their universality.

As a result, his works are adapted, re-interpreted, and re-appropriated all over the world up till now.

This paper aims at offering a re-reading of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice in the light of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.

Hence, it shows The Merchant of Venice from a different perspective.

It also aims at pinpointing the duplicity in measures used by the characters when dealing with other people’s rights, a duplicity that is presented by Shakespeare as part of human nature.