High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare`s other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best known for Shylock and the famous `Hath not a Jew eyes` speech. Also notable is Portia`s speech about the `quality of mercy`.