The Merchant of Venice vs The Taming of the Shrew: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Juvenile drama, Problems, Criticism and interpretation, Drama, History, Fiction
The Merchant of Venice
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In this lively comedy of love and money in sixteenth-century Venice, Bassanio wants to impress the wealthy heiress Portia but lacks the necessary funds. He turns to his merchant friend, Antonio, who is forced to borrow…
The Taming of the Shrew
“CHRISTOPHER SLY for a range of sly's manifestations, see Introduction pp. 51-64.”
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This play within a play is a delightful farce about a fortune hunter who marries and tames" the town shrew. The comedy, often produced today because of its accessibility, is one of the plays Shakespeare intended for the…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Merchant of Venice has the widest readership — 206966 ratings behind its score.
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Scores by source
| The Merchant of Venice | The Taming of the Shrew | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (206966) | 3.7 (183652) |
| Hardcover | 3.7 (252) | 3.6 (212) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (106) | 4.0 (47) |
| LiveLib | — | 4.2 (3552) |
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Reception
| The Merchant of Venice | The Taming of the Shrew | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 206966 | 183652 |
| Editions | 818 | 1126 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 8 | 76789 |
| Reading it now | — | 3123 |
| Written reviews | 5 | 6441 |
| Wikipedia attention | 28995 | 29172 |
| Pages | 105 | 120 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The Merchant of Venice or The Taming of the Shrew?
The Merchant of Venice has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Merchant of Venice 3.8/5, The Taming of the Shrew 3.7/5).
Which is shorter to read: The Merchant of Venice or The Taming of the Shrew?
The Merchant of Venice is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Merchant of Venice (105 pages, ≈ 1 h 57 m); The Taming of the Shrew (120 pages, ≈ 2 h 13 m).
Which is harder to read: The Merchant of Venice or The Taming of the Shrew?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The Merchant of Venice: Demanding; The Taming of the Shrew: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
The Merchant of Venice: 5 film adaptations; The Taming of the Shrew: 5 film adaptations.