[Always A Marine]

The "Jews" didn't kill Christ -- I did. They and the Romans just did the dirty work for the rest of us.

[Fenris6]

I don't know - it seems specious to judge those in the past by modern standards. For ex: Churchill was a chauvanist.

[Mamzelle]

Having studied the play a few times--I can't argue that MoV is not antisemitic. It is.

On the other hand, I always found Shylock the most delightful of Shakespeare's creations--so vital, so alive, so passionate--as opposed to the prating Portia or the insipid Jessica (Shylock's daughter). Found myself rooting for the pound of flesh--thought the old fart had it coming.

So, I guess there are all kinds of ways to look at things...

[valkyrieanne]

This movie has opened in out-of-the way places like Champaign, IL and Reno, NV, but not in St. Louis. I am NOT amused. Bad Sony Classics! Bad!

[Psycho_Bunny]

Along with Lincoln, I hear that Shakespeare was gay, too.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Shakespeare's characterization of Shylock was like the black-face of its day. It was a harmless caricature intended for humor based upon what were considered generally accepted prejudices. It is only in the light of today's PC "no one shall be offended" do we acknowledge that any such stereotypes are bad. Of course, it is still acceptable to portray nearly all middle-class white males as business thieves, rapists, child-abusers, etc. (today's law&order programs). Of course, we don't view those black-face type of caricatures as humorous as our ancestors and tend to equate it more with slapstick than anything else.

Shakespeare's caricature of Shylock was no more anti-Semitic than the portrayal of Jewish parents in modern-day America as seen in "Meet the Fockers." See Rabbi Lapin's commentary on the stereotyping:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1328164/posts

[kiriath_jearim]

Jesus and His apostles were Jews. So was Karl Marx. But Marx's resemblance to Judaism ends at the end of his circumcised priapus. His atheistic "Jewishness" merely means that he was nothing more than a circumcised heathen.

[Helms]

"It is unsettling to think he also created as monstrous a word-portrait as can be found in the picture gallery of anti-Semitism."

To this writer_STFU- the US has been the greatest home the wandering diaspora ever have had.

Crying wolf again but then again this has been Holocaust week.