The Merchant Of Venice

This text is part of a series in which the standard Shakespearean texts
have been slightly abridged to enhance student understanding of the
essential story lines, characters and themes. The text is primarily
designed for years 9 - 11 in the New Zealand curriculum, although it may
be used at any level in English or drama classes. The author's aim is
to make Shakespeare more accessible as the original texts are often
regarded as too long and involved for many students. The abridgements
take out just enough to make the play manageable and enjoyable, yet
remain meaningful and "true" to the originals. Each title in the series
has a different introduction, so that if different plays are used at
different levels there is minimal repetition of supporting information.
In one there may be an introduction to the Globe Theatre, while in
another the introduction may be on Elizabethan society. This variation
in treatment aims to ensure the series has the widest possible
application in schools at all levels. The series is structured as
follows to ensure the texts are effective with all students: each text
is designed to be a complete unit; the abridged version is accompanied
by "Word Banks" designed to give definitions and explanations of some of
the more difficult words and phases; each text is followed by a series
of activities designed to allow students to become confident with the
text; character and theme information is presented in a student-friendly
manner; and each text concludes with a collection of activities which
are designed for teachers to form an individual programme best suited to
their students' needs.