What was Judaism like during Shakespeares time?
Jewish communities were first established in England with the arrival of William the Conqueror in 1066. Although Jews soon began to play key roles in English economic development and flourished as doctors and tradesmen, they could not escape the rampant anti-Semitism that swept Europe. Jews were subjected to vicious persecutions, including charges of the ritual sacrifice of Christian children, which culminated with their expulsion in 1290 by Edward I. The exile lasted until 1655, when Jewish scholar Manasseh ben Israel obtained Oliver Cromwells assent for Jews to return to London. Thus, the Elizabethan people knew little about Jews, other than the false information handed down through years of propaganda. Many people feel that The Merchant of Venice is anti-Semitic. Although Shakespeare crafts Shylock as an often sympathetic character, you can see anti-Semitism in the Merchant of Venice, as well as in other works of the day that had Jewish characters, like Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta. O
