Ebrei e usurai: Nella societa e nel dramma Elisabettiani: Il linguaggio mercantile in Shakespeare e Marlowe [Italian]

Editrice Bologna: Bologna, IT, 1984. Softcover. Good Plus. 0x0x0. Signed and Inscribed by Author. [THEATER]. Ragazzini, Giuseppe (1922-2004). "Ebrei e usurai: Nella societa e nel dramma Elisabettiani: Il linguaggio mercantile in Shakespeare e Marlowe." Bologna, IT: Editrice Bologna, 1984. Signed and inscribed by the author, but in a confusing fashion. Inscribed to "Amedeo Modigliani" - obviously not the painter - and in the inscription says "a great economist" - which would point to the Italian Nobel Prize-winning economist Amedeo Modigliani (1918-2003). Full inscription: [Modigliana, 17/31/'85 To Amedeo Modigliani - a great economist and man of culture - whose ancestors lived once in my native village, with boundless admiration S. Ragazzini]. Italian language. Softcover. 8.5 x 6 x 0.5 in. 21 x 15 x 1.5 cm. 13 oz. 247 pp. Some oil staining on the covers. Light discoloration around the spine. Bottom right-hand corner stubbed. Rest of text clean. Good Plus. ISBN: 9788849100495."The book contains a historical survey of the Jews in England from 1066 to 1290 and of the crypto-Jews up to the end of the 17th century, as well as a brief discussion of the question of usury from Plato to the mercantilists. The different orientation of two great poets, Dante and Shakespeare, on the problem of usury and usurers is also examined: the former, in the certainty of his medieval, aristocratic and religious vision of the world, firmly condemns usury as a sin against nature and therefore against God; the other, who already has the problems and sensitivity of modern man, open to doubt, does not take a stand and refrains from expressing a moral judgement. Choosing among the literary figures of the Jewish usurer, the author dwells on those of Marlov's Barabbas and Shylock from the Merchant of Venice, both typical 'different' (or 'strangers') in the society in which they live: of the second character, the he metamorphosed Jew, the diabolical, animalistic and mythical aspects are highlighted (the devil, the dog, the wolf, the werewolf and the ogre). Finally, the mercantile language in Shakespeare and Marlowe is studied, also as a rich mine of metaphors and styles.