This document discusses how the Holocaust shaped modern interpretations of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and the character of Shylock. It provides historical context on the persecution of Jews in Europe during World War 2, including how the Nazis sought to exterminate the Jewish population. It also notes that Hitler was a fan of The Merchant of Venice and discusses how a 2000 production by Trevor Nunn visually echoed the Nuremberg trials to emphasize the reality of the Holocaust and not allow the play to shrink from it.