Twenty-five facts about the Merchant of Venice

A Grail quest, a romantic comedy, Shakespeare's most performed play

1. A reference in the opening to a ship called the Andrew suggests Merchant was written no earlier than summer 1596. It was added to the Stationers’ Register on 22 July 1598. An account of modern literature published that September included Merchant, suggesting it was already in repertory with the Chamberlain’s Men. The Register includes a note that the Ch…