William Shakespeare
Folger Shakespeare Library · 1992
For almost everyone, the Folger is the right Merchant of Venice — facing-page glosses and synopses, and a good edition matters here because the play's treatment of Shylock needs the context the notes supply. Cheap, and the classroom standard. This is where I'd start.
Arden (3rd series) · 2010
The Arden Third Series, edited by John Drakakis, is the scholar's Merchant — a long introduction that takes the play's antisemitism seriously, with dense footnotes. Indispensable for study; more than a first read needs.
Oxford Shakespeare · 1994
Oxford's single-volume edition is the strong middle — serious scholarship and a fine introduction at a paperback price.
No Fear Shakespeare · 2003
No Fear sets the original beside a plain modern paraphrase — a crutch, not the poetry, but a way through if the language has stopped you before.
Free (public domain) · 1600
The Merchant of Venice is public domain, so the full text is free — Folger Digital Texts, MIT, Gutenberg. No glosses, but the whole play at no cost.
Which Edition earns a small commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you — it never changes our picks.