Shakespeare’s Problem Plays (GCSE English)
If you’re studying The Merchant of Venice for GCSE English Literature, you may have come across the term “problem play.” But what does this label really mean—and why is it so important for understanding Shakespeare’s work? The phrase refers to a group of plays that don’t fit neatly into the traditional categories of comedy, tragedy, or history used in the First Folio of Shakespeare’s collected works (1623). These plays blend humour, tension, and moral complexity in unsettling ways, leaving audiences unsure whether to laugh, grieve, or question their own moral values.
In this blog, a Shakespeare specialist explains what makes a play “problematic” and how The Merchant of Venice—alongside works like Measure for Measure—forces audiences to wrestle with issues of justice, mercy, prejudice, and power. By the end, you’ll see how recognising its “problem play” status can help you achieve higher marks by showing a deeper understanding of Shakespeare’s ambiguous moral vision and subversion of Elizabethan values. Whether you are studying with AQA, Edexcel, OCR, or Eduqas, this blog will help you to impress your examiner with developed analysis and detailed subject knowledge.
What Exactly is a "Problem Play"?
The term “problem play” isn’t one Shakespeare himself used—it was coined much later to describe a small group of his plays that defy simple categorisation. The phrase was popularised by literary critic F. S. Boas in his influential 1896 study Shakespeare and His Predecessors. Boas borrowed the term from nineteenth-century European drama, particularly the works of Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw, whose plays tackled urgent social and moral questions without offering clear-cut answers. In applying it to Shakespeare, Boas argued that certain plays—most notably Measure for Measure and The Merchant of Venice—contain ethical ambiguity, moral tension, and unresolved conflict that set them apart from the lighter comedies (like A Midsummer Night’s Dream) or the clearly tragic dramas (like Macbeth).
These “problem plays” challenge audiences by presenting situations that feel uncomfortably real rather than conventionally moral or poetic. Their characters often occupy grey areas between virtue and vice, and the endings leave a lingering sense of unease. For example, while traditional comedies, like Much Ado About Nothing, end in marriage and harmony, The Merchant of Venice concludes with forgiveness that feels uneasy and unresolved, particularly in its treatment of Shylock. This refusal to offer simple moral closure makes these plays strikingly modern and continues to provoke debate about justice, mercy, sexism, and racial prejudice.
The generally accepted problem plays include:
All’s Well That Ends Well: A young woman uses clever schemes and deception to win over her reluctant husband.
Measure for Measure: Explores justice, hypocrisy, and sexual corruption in Vienna.
Troilus and Cressida: Presents a cynical, often brutal view of the Trojan War and the nature of love and honour.
The Merchant of Venice: Arguably the most widely studied, particularly by GCSE students. It explores the legal culture of Renaissance Venice and the prejudiced nature of society, particularly through the anti-semitic treatment of Shakespeare’s most famous ‘comic’ villain: Shylock.
Delving into The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice continues to spark debate about justice, prejudice, antisemitism and human nature. On the surface, the play resembles one of Shakespeare’s comedies—there’s romance, disguise, wit, and a seemingly happy ending as Bassanio wins Portia’s hand and harmony appears to be restored. Yet beneath this comic framework lies a darker, more troubling narrative centred on Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and the moral tension between mercy, justice, and revenge. This duality—light and dark, comedy and cruelty—is what makes the play such a powerful example of a “problem play.”
Indeed, the play also has a troubling performance history. Over the centuries, The Merchant of Venice has sparked fierce debate about whether it exposes or reinforces antisemitism. In the 20th century, its legacy was further darkened when the Nazi regime used the play as propaganda, staging productions that distorted Shakespeare’s text to promote hateful ideology. These performances presented Shylock as a caricature embodying antisemitic stereotypes, stripping the play of its nuance and moral complexity. This history continues to shape how modern directors and audiences approach the play today—often transforming it into a critique of prejudice rather than an endorsement of it.
For example, in a recent Royal Shakespeare Company production, the director added a deeply poignant scene in which Shylock is forced to convert to Christianity. As the priest poured holy water over his head, the actor visibly winced and recoiled, conveying not redemption but humiliation. The scene transformed what may have been seen as a merciful ending in Elizabethan times into a painful act of spiritual violence, forcing the audience to confront the play’s unsettling questions about justice and intolerance.
EH Sothern as Shylock
The “Pound of Flesh” and Shylock’s Plight
Let’s look more deeply at two key scenes to find out why this play is so “problematic”.
The central conflict revolves around the bond between Antonio and Shylock. If Antonio cannot repay his loan, Shylock is entitled to a “pound of flesh,” a horrifying clause that transforms a financial agreement into a moral and legal nightmare. Shylock is often portrayed as vengeful and cruel, yet Shakespeare ensures we see that his bitterness has roots in lifelong persecution and humiliation.
In a deeply anti-Semitic Venetian society, Shylock is spat on, mocked, and excluded from civic life. His famous speech—both heartbreaking and defiant—forces the audience to confront their own prejudices:
“Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?... If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?” (Act 3, Scene 1)
This moment is a plea for shared humanity—an assertion that Jews and Christians are fundamentally alike. Shakespeare invites his audience (and GCSE students today) to question whether Shylock’s pursuit of revenge arises from innate malice or from the injustice and dehumanisation he suffers at the hands of others. The speech encapsulates one of the play’s enduring critical questions: is Shylock a villain or a victim? It is this moral ambiguity that makes The Merchant of Venice a “problem play”.
Other Key Quotes and Their Significance
Antonio’s taunt:
“I am as like to call thee so again, / To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.” (Act 1, Scene 3)
→ Illustrates the everyday humiliation and contempt Shylock faces. Antonio’s open cruelty normalises anti-Semitism, establishing the moral hypocrisy of a supposedly “Christian” character.Shylock’s plea for equality:
“If you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” (Act 3, Scene 1)
→ Shylock’s call for justice and reciprocity blurs the moral lines. His argument mirrors the Christian ethic of fairness but exposes how revenge replaces mercy in an unjust society.Portia on mercy:
“The quality of mercy is not strained… it blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” (Act 4, Scene 1)
→ Spoken during the trial scene, this speech is one of the play’s most famous moments. It defines Christian mercy as a divine virtue—but the irony is that Portia and the court deny Shylock that very mercy by destroying his livelihood and forcing his conversion.
The Trial Scene and Its Chilling Resolution
The courtroom scene is the dramatic climax of the play (Act 4, Scene 1). Disguised as a young male lawyer, Portia outwits Shylock with a technicality: he may take his pound of flesh, but not a single drop of blood. What begins as a legal triumph for the Christians becomes a scene of moral discomfort. Shylock is stripped of his wealth, forced to renounce his faith, and compelled to convert to Christianity—a symbolic erasure of his identity and humanity.
This ending exemplifies why The Merchant of Venice is categorised as a problem play. On the surface, Antonio is saved and Venice restored, yet the price is Shylock’s total degradation. As noted above, modern productions often highlight this by staging the conversion as an act of violence or public humiliation, revealing the hypocrisy of “Christian mercy” and leaving audiences uneasy about who the real victim is.
Themes to Consider for GCSE Study
Justice vs. Mercy:
Can mercy truly exist when it is used to punish? Shakespeare blurs the line between moral virtue and self-righteous cruelty through the Christian characters’ treatment of Shylock.Prejudice and Otherness:
Shylock’s treatment exposes systemic discrimination. Students should explore how Shakespeare reflects and (arguably) critiques Elizabethan attitudes to race, religion, and morality. For example, Jews were banned from England by Edward I in 1290, and were only officially allowed back into the country in 1656 under Oliver Cromwell—40 years after Shakespeare’s death! This shows that the society Shakespeare knew actively maintained anti‑Semitic laws.Revenge and Forgiveness:
The tension between Shylock’s thirst for revenge and the Christians’ shallow mercy forces readers to ask whether true forgiveness is possible in a divided, prejudiced society. Forgiveness in the play also reflects the message of Christ in the New Testament, which emphasises mercy, compassion, and “turning the other cheek”. In contrast, the God of the Old Testament is often portrayed as law-based, punishing disobedience and demanding justice. This distinction is particularly relevant because, Jewish people worship only the God of the Old Testament, which aligns with Shylock’s insistence on the strict letter of the bond. In Shakespeare’s portrayal, Antonio embodies Christian mercy, sparing Shylock’s life and forgiving his offence, whereas Shylock’s pursuit of the pound of flesh reflects a rigid, Old Testament-style justice. Highlighting this tension reflects religious and cultural divides in Renaissance Europe.
Case Study: Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure explores hypocrisy and sexual corruption in a morally decaying Vienna. Although it is not currently on the GCSE syllabus, it provides an excellent second example of what critics mean by a “problem play.” As of October 2026, the play is being performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, demonstrating its continued relevance and power to provoke debate among modern audiences.
A recent performance of Measure for Measure
When the Duke of Vienna temporarily leaves power to the seemingly virtuous Angelo, he expects moral reform. Instead, Angelo enforces strict sexual laws and condemns Claudio to death for impregnating his fiancée, Juliet, before marriage. Claudio’s sister, Isabella, a novice nun, pleads for mercy—but Angelo cruelly and hypocritically demands a trade: her virginity for her brother’s life (Act 2, Scene 4).
This central dilemma exposes the limits of law and morality:
The Limits of Justice: The law punishes without compassion, showing how rigid legalism can become inhuman when separated from mercy.
Hypocrisy and Power: Angelo’s lust and deceit reveal moral corruption beneath authority. Even the Duke, who manipulates events from disguise, embodies the flaws of those who govern.
Ambiguity and Resolution: The play’s resolution is famously unsettling. The Duke orchestrates elaborate deceptions—including the “bed trick” (Act 4, Scene 3), where Angelo believes he is sleeping with Isabella but actually sleeps with his former fiancée, Mariana—to expose Angelo’s corruption. Although Claudio is saved and Angelo is forced to marry Mariana, the ending feels uneasy: the Duke abruptly proposes to Isabella, whose silence leaves audiences unsure whether she consents. Rather than restoring moral order, the conclusion raises new ethical questions, challenging any sense of true closure.
Why it’s a problem play:
Unlike Shakespeare’s pure comedies or tragedies, Measure for Measure offers no clear moral resolution. The tone is dark, the so-called “happy ending” feels uneasy, and questions of justice and gendered power remain unresolved. Angelo’s hypocrisy, the Duke’s manipulations, and the use of the “bed trick” highlight a world where virtue and corruption coexist, leaving audiences—and students—questioning the fairness of the outcome. This moral ambiguity is a defining feature of Shakespeare’s problem plays, making the work deeply unsettling and thought-provoking in its exploration of ethical complexity.
From a feminist perspective, the play is particularly problematic. Isabella, a young novice nun, can be read as a victim of a patriarchal system. She faces sexual coercion from Angelo, who exploits his position of power, and is ultimately implicitly pressured into a marriage with the much older Duke—a resolution that raises questions about consent and autonomy. By exposing the vulnerabilities and constraints imposed on women, Shakespeare forces the audience to confront systemic gender inequality, adding another layer to the play’s troubling moral landscape.
Conclusion: Application to your GCSE Exam
Understanding Shakespeare’s problem plays isn’t just for academics—it’s also practical for GCSE success. Students are commonly asked to explore:
How characters like Shylock or Isabella respond to moral dilemmas.
How Shakespeare presents themes such as justice, mercy, prejudice, or hypocrisy.
How audience sympathy or discomfort is created through actions, dialogue, or dramatic irony.
Linking these features to the concept of a problem play allows students to explore how Shakespeare deliberately blurs right and wrong to engage and challenge his audience.
When making these points in exam answers, include specific quotes with act and scene references. For example, Shylock’s plea—“Hath not a Jew eyes?” (Act 3, Scene 1)—or Portia’s reflection—“The quality of mercy is not strained” (Act 4, Scene 1)—demonstrates close textual knowledge. Linking quotes to broader themes such as justice, prejudice, or revenge shows analytical thinking, not just description, which is essential for top marks.
By focusing on ethical dilemmas, moral ambiguity, and human complexity, you can write insightful, exam-ready responses that engage with Shakespeare’s enduring relevance and satisfy both AO2 and AO3 assessment objectives.
