SOURCE: “Prodigal Sons and Daughters: Transgression and Forgiveness in The Merchant of Venice,” in Papers on Language & Literature, Vol. 32, No. 1, 1996, pp. 45-62.
In the essay below, McLean identifies allegorical elements in The Merchant of Venice, arguing that the parable of the rebellious but repentant Prodigal Son is reenacted numerous times between different character pairings. Consequently, by the end of the play the audience is left to contemplate the virtue of forgiveness.
This is a free excerpt of 74 words. There are 6,198 words (approx.
21 pages at 300 words per page) in the full critical essay.
Read the rest of this Criticism with our The Merchant of Venice: Critical Essay by Susan McLean Access Pass.
