Was the Merchant of Venice gay? - ABC News</tle><meta name="tle" ntent="Was the Merchant of Venice gay? - ABC News"/><meta name="scriptn" ntent="A new film adaptatn of Shakpeare's The Merchant of Venice rais the ntroversial qutn of whether the tle character was gay."/><lk rel="nonil" href="><lk rel="in" type="image/png" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="in" type="image/svg+xml" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="mask-in" lor="black" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="apple-touch-in" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="preload" href=" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorig="anonymo"/><lk rel="preload" href=" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorig="anonymo"/><lk rel="preload" href=" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorig="anonymo"/><meta property="ABC.ContentType" ntent="Article"/><meta property="ABC.ContentSource" ntent="remedia"/><meta name="generator" ntent="PL NEWS WEB"/><meta property="ABC.Generator" ntent="PL NEWS WEB"/><meta name="ContentId" ntent="609696"/><meta property="ABC.ContentId" ntent="609696"/><meta name="ABC.VersnNumber" ntent="1"/><meta property="article:published_time" ntent="2004-12-29T00:21:00+00:00"/><script type="applitn/ld+json">{"@ntext":","@type":"NewsArticle","thor":{"@type":"Organizatn","name":"ABC News","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":60,"url":","width":240}},"dateModified":"2004-12-29T01:19:00+00:00","datePublished":"2004-12-29T00:21:00+00:00","scriptn":"A new film adaptatn of Shakpeare's The Merchant of Venice rais the ntroversial qutn of whether the tle character was gay.","headle":"Was the Merchant of Venice gay?","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":485,"url":","width":862},"keywords":"","maEntyOfPage":","publisher":{"@type":"Organizatn","name":"ABC News","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":60,"url":","width":240}}}</script><meta property="article:modified_time" ntent="2004-12-29T01:19:00+00:00"/><meta property="og:url" ntent="><meta property="og:scriptn" ntent="A new film adaptatn of Shakpeare's The Merchant of Venice rais the ntroversial qutn of whether the tle character was gay."/><meta property="og:tle" ntent="Was the Merchant of Venice gay?"/><meta property="og:type" ntent="article"/><meta name="twter:rd" ntent="summary_large_image"/><meta name="twter:se" ntent="@abews"/><meta name="twter:image" ntent="><meta property="og:image" ntent="><meta property="og:updated_time" ntent="2004-12-29T01:19:00+00:00"/><lk data-chunk="page.ForOdysseyArticle"/><meta name="next-head-unt" ntent="38"/><script id="google-tag-manager" type="text/javascript" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">dataLayer=[{"applitn":{"ctomPageview":te,"environment":"productn","generatorName":"PL NEWS WEB","generatorVersn":"5.3.0","platform":"web","product":"PL NEWS WEB"},"bug":{"schemaVersn":"20180625"}}];(functn(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l]({'':new Date().getTime(),event:''});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';;''+i+dl;sertBefore(j,f);})(wdow,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-PB2GX');</script><script id="overri-lazy-load" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">!functn(a){"loadg"!==document.readyState?a():document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoad",a)}(functn(){for(var e=document.querySelectorAll("img"),d=[],a=0;a<;a++){var b=e[a],(document.documentElement.clientHeight,nerHeight),(document.documentElement.clientWidth,nerWidth);if(b.parentElement){var c=b.parentElement.getBoundgClientRect();>0&&>0&&>0&&<0&&>0&&<0&&(b)}}for(var a=0;a<;a++){var b=d[a];b.hasAttribute("data-lazy")&&b.removeAttribute("data-lazy")}for(var a=0;a<;a++){var b=d[a];"lazy"===b.loadg&&(b.loadg="eager")}})</script><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-g=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><noscript data-n-css=""></noscript><script fer="" nomodule="" src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/pag/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/pag/news/document/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/RfndYb0kT2dJJA_EsuFYr/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/RfndYb0kT2dJJA_EsuFYr/" fer=""></script></head><body><script> </script><div id="__next"><div data-ponent="NotifitnsProvir" style="width:360px" class="NotifitnsProvir_ntaer__2sehb NotifitnsProvir_bottom__MHZPb AppContaer_notifitnWrapper__lgzgy"></div><noscript><iame src=" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibily:hidn"></iame></noscript><div id="app-ntaer" class="GlobalStyl_dls___J5Yr" data-ponent="GlobalStyl"><div><div data-ponent="Lotn"><div><hear class="Masthead_mastheadBox__qe8iR" data-ponent="Masthead"><a class="ScreenRearSkipToContent_skipLk__ZXOqn ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv ScreenRearOnly_focable__xp3DW" data-ponent="ScreenRearSkipToContent" href="#ntent">Skip to ma ntent</a><div class="Masthead_row__76rdH"><a href="/news" class="MastheadLogoLk_lk__wLQU0 Masthead_logoLk__aFBdU" data-ponent="MastheadLogoLk"><span class="MastheadLogoLk_logo__XY0lt"><svg aria-hidn="te" class="BrandLogo_svg__W378d" data-ponent="ABCNewsLogo" height="44" prerveAspectRat="xMYMid meet" viewBox="0 0 123 44" width="123" xmlns="><path d="M113.367 10c4.455 0 7.635 2 7.635 2l-1.586 3.241s-2.911-1.662-5.984-1.662c-2.361 0-3.913.706-3.913 2.63 0 4.524 12.624 2.465 12.624 10.466-.034 4.86-3.747 7.325-8.675 7.325-5.74 0-9.081-2.906-9.081-2.906l2.091-3.171s2.939 2.499 6.787 2.499c2.869 0 4.59-1.251 4.59-3.274 0-4.694-12.559-3.004-12.559-10.735 0-4.321 3.343-6.413 8.07-6.413zM9.283 11.648c.407.413 1.213 2.345 1.286 2.52l.005.012 4.95 13.215c.285.753.883 1.167 1.486 1.22a1.588 1.588 0 001.518-.96l.059-.15 1.565-4.156 2.63 6.904c-1.293 2.321-2.53 2.917-3.98 3.453a6.534 6.534 0 01-1.742.291c-.133.004-.35.003-.483 0-1.077-.038-2.138-.322-2.99-.827-.467-.314-1.674-1.118-2.528-3.037l-.109-.256-5.218-14.564V28.58l.079-.223 1.911-5.384 2.475 7.012c-.372 1.618-1.506 2.967-2.848 3.615-.43.199-.783.315-1.21.364l-.22.02-.133.004a4.969 4.969 0 01-3.016-.818c-1.28-.93-1.686-2.058-1.762-3.95L1 28.957V14.563c.163-2.377 1.667-3.67 3.015-4.264.64-.216.911-.269 1.611-.269 1.182-.054 2.634.43 3.657 1.618zM17.14 10c1.175-.014 2.347.253 3.278.84.465.307 1.667 1.065 2.522 2.98l.11.257 5.16 14.613V15.368l-.122.36-1.81 5.253-2.47-7.012c.32-1.566 1.505-2.914 2.849-3.563.322-.15.72-.26 1.092-.327l.272-.043c.033-.008.068-.01.101-.012l.014-.002.014-.002c1.075-.083 2.162.215 3.078.766 1.289.98 1.687 2.058 1.764 3.99l.008.27v14.346c-.159 2.425-1.717 3.72-3.065 4.314-.588.215-.861.269-1.557.269-1.182 0-2.688-.432-3.657-1.673-.414-.408-1.213-2.346-1.285-2.522l-.005-.012-4.95-13.16a2.036 2.036 0 00-1.608-1.222c-.572-.015-1.133.295-1.443.955l-.067.159-1.508 4.157L11.22 13.7c1.291-2.323 2.526-2.859 3.977-3.4.409-.129.95-.217 1.444-.264l.289-.024.052-.005h.051L17.14 10zm55.654.285l-.5 3.463H62.74v6.026h9.222v3.563H62.74v6.693h10.122v3.563h-14.25V10.285h14.183zm-30.004-.032l9.356 16.948V10.253h4.162v23.308h-5.095l-9.156-16.415V33.56h-4.162V10.253h4.895zm35.888 0l4.263 18.48h.133l4.328-18.48h3.996l4.494 18.48h.134l4.096-18.48h4.429l-5.928 23.308h-4.928l-4.262-16.249-4.228 16.249h-4.962l-5.96-23.308h4.395z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">ABC News Homepage</span></span></a><div class="Masthead_actns__sbno_"><a href=" class="global-search-lk_lk__yZ7eR Masthead_searchLk__MBRYo" data-ponent="GlobalSearchLk"><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="1em" height="1em" data-ponent="Search" class="in_in__BezvR global-search-lk_in__YUQN7 in_size24__1oTgD" aria-hidn="te"><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="m21 21-6.904-6.904m0 0a6.5 6.5 0 1 0-9.192-9.192 6.5 6.5 0 0 0 9.192 9.192z"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">Search</span></a><div class="Masthead_globalLog__8lnS4" data-ponent="GlobalLogLoar" role="img" aria-label="Loadg ABC Acunt stat"><div class="global-log_skeletonLoar__OgKG2"><div class="global-log_skeletonAvatar___E12h global-log_shimmer__dSe2R"></div><div class="global-log_skeletonName__yxtee global-log_shimmer__dSe2R"></div><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">Loadg</span></div></div><button class="Masthead_globalNavButton__fHTfS global-navigatn-button_openButton__9xhrL" type="button" data-ponent="GlobalNavigatnButton"><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="1em" height="1em" data-ponent="Drawer" class="in_in__BezvR global-navigatn-button_in__ibfas in_size20__uN3m_" aria-hidn="te"><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M21 12H3"></path><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M21 6H3"></path><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M21 18H3"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">More om ABC</span></button><div class="global-navigatn-ntent_drawer__XIsPy Drawer_drawerPanel__cwo96 Drawer_drawerPanel__cwo96" data-ponent="GlobalNavigatn" id="global-navigatn-drawer"><nav aria-label="More om ABC" class="global-navigatn-ntent_drawerContent__dfhpC" data-uri="app://module/globalnavigatnntent"><h2 class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly" id="dls-global-navigatn__label" tabx="-1">More om ABC</h2><div class="global-navigatn-ntent_actnsWrapper__umHsB"><button class="global-navigatn-button_closeButton__Zfw2M" type="button" data-ponent="GlobalNavigatnButton"><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="1em" height="1em" data-ponent="Close" class="in_in__BezvR global-navigatn-button_in__ibfas in_size20__uN3m_" aria-hidn="te"><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M19 19 5 5"></path><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M5 19 19 5"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">Close menu</span></button><a href=" class="global-navigatn-ntent_logoLk__a__oi lk_foc__WeZws lk_unrleNone__PmrQv" tabx="0"><svg aria-hidn="te" class="global-navigatn-ntent_logo__VtKA0 BrandLogo_svg__W378d" data-ponent="ABCLogo" height="44" prerveAspectRat="xMYMid meet" viewBox="0 0 101 44" width="101" xmlns="><path d="M5.625 10.044h.188c1.151 0 2.501.5 3.475 1.619.412.412 1.217 2.34 1.29 2.515l.004.012 4.957 13.214c.288.743.886 1.175 1.494 1.22a1.616 1.616 0 001.513-.97l.058-.15 1.56-4.157 2.634 6.906c-1.295 2.328-2.534 2.927-3.983 3.459a7.026 7.026 0 01-1.385.265l-.353.023h-.486c-1.074-.033-2.136-.321-2.988-.82-.467-.319-1.675-1.116-2.534-3.036l-.11-.257-5.223-14.555V28.59l.077-.221 1.915-5.388 2.478 7.006c-.376 1.619-1.505 2.971-2.855 3.614-.436.2-.783.318-1.207.368l-.22.02H5.79a5.028 5.028 0 01-3.02-.81c-1.281-.932-1.691-2.058-1.763-3.95L1 28.968V14.578c.155-2.372 1.66-3.67 3.01-4.257.57-.197.852-.262 1.397-.275l.218-.002h.188zM90.341 10c4.467 0 8.127 2.36 9.49 6.108l.092.264.143.406-.385.22c-.143.088-.967.472-2.538 1.208-.416.208-.76.362-.872.415l-.03.014-.593.297-.164-.638c-.517-1.834-2.121-3.823-5.088-3.823-3.704 0-5.825 2.692-5.825 7.383 0 3.67 1.506 7.58 5.715 7.58 2.291 0 4.163-1.25 5.051-3.353l.092-.228.208-.539 4.495 2.022-.22.494c-1.681 3.834-5.374 6.163-9.692 6.163-.143 0-.286 0-.429-.01-6.395-.187-10.362-4.78-10.362-11.964 0-8.668 5.472-11.887 10.582-12.008.11-.011.22-.011.33-.011zm-59.09.787c1.303.976 1.693 2.052 1.744 3.997l.005.27V29.4c-.155 2.416-1.715 3.713-3.065 4.312-.586.221-.863.277-1.56.277-1.184 0-2.689-.444-3.663-1.674-.401-.413-1.206-2.35-1.278-2.526l-.005-.013-4.957-13.147a1.989 1.989 0 00-1.605-1.22c-.565-.01-1.13.295-1.438.96l-.067.16-1.504 4.157-2.634-6.961c1.284-2.328 2.523-2.86 3.972-3.404.415-.138.96-.223 1.451-.266l.287-.022v-.01h.11l.056-.006.055-.006v.011c1.173-.011 2.346.255 3.275.843.467.308 1.665 1.064 2.524 2.98l.11.257 5.167 14.6V15.386l-.122.355-1.814 5.255-2.468-7.017c.321-1.563 1.505-2.916 2.844-3.559.327-.16.726-.27 1.099-.335l.273-.042v-.01h.1c.01-.012.022-.012.022-.012 1.084-.089 2.18.21 3.087.765zM51.012 10l8.462 23.763h-5.495L52.11 28.28h-8.044l-1.868 5.482h-5.462L45.186 10h5.825zm18.571 0c3.583 0 7.847 1.066 7.847 6.141 0 2.153-.902 4.01-2.374 5.032 1.901 1 3 2.977 2.978 5.504 0 4.407-2.928 6.985-8.058 7.083l-.305.003H60V10h9.582zm-.186 13.71H65.22v5.504h4.505c2.055 0 3.077-.89 3.132-2.724.022-.802-.198-1.45-.637-1.9-.572-.572-1.539-.88-2.824-.88zm-21.297-6.734l-2.495 6.767h4.934l-2.44-6.767zm21.428-2.516H65.22v4.68h4.154c1.9 0 2.857-.835 2.857-2.504 0-1.011-.308-2.176-2.704-2.176z" fill="currentColor" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">ABC</span></a></div><div data-uri="app://module/globalnavigatnems"><svg xmlns=" style="display:none"><symbol viewBox="0 0 233 76" id="iview-global-navigatn-logo"><tle>iview
.