Understanding Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice by Robert A. Albano - HTML preview

SOURCES

1. Il Pecorone(The Simpleton), written in 1378 byGiovanni Fiorentino, is the primary source of the play.Itincludes “Belmonte” as locale, the winning- the-bride story, and the pound-of-flesh story. In the bride story, though, there are no caskets. The suitor must stay awake all night, but on the first two attempts, the suitor is given a sleepingpotion.

2. For the use ofcaskets, Shakespeare may have borrowed from any of the following three possibilities:

1. John Gower –Confessio Amantis–1390
2. Boccaccio –IlDecamerone
3. anonymousGesta Romanorum– 14^thC (English translation appears in 16^thC.)

3. The pound-of-flesh story also appears elsewhere, such as “The Ballad of the Crueltie of Geruntus,” written anonymously, c.1590.

4. Another possible source is a lost play entitledThe Jew.Itwas briefly describedbyStephen Gosson in1579.