The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare.

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. 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 page number and sharing certain aspe cts with Shakespeares other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps or so remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best kn let for usurer and the famous Hath not a Jew eyes speech. Also notable is Portias speech about the quality of mercy.The title disposition is the merchant Antonio, not the Judaic moneylender shylock, who is the plays nearly prominent and most famous character. This is make explicit by the title page of the prototypical quarto The most excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreme mercilessness of shylock the Jew towards the Merchant. Summary Antonio, a Venetian merchant, complains to his friends of a melancholy that he cannot explain. His friend Bassanio is desperately in need of money to court P ortia, a wealthy heiress who lives in the city of Belmont.Bassanio asks Antonio for a lend in order to travel in style to Portias estate. Antonio agrees, but is futile to make the loan himself because his own money is all invested in a number of trade ships that are still at sea. Antonio suggests that Bassanio secure the loan from one of the citys moneylenders and name Antonio as the loans guarantor. In Belmont, Portia expresses sadness over the terms of her fathers will, which stipulates that she mustiness marry the man who correctly call fors one of three caskets.None of Portias actual suitors are to her liking, and she and her lady-in- searching, Nerissa, fondly remember a visit paid whatsoever time before by Bassanio. In Venice, Antonio and Bassanio approach Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, for a loan. Shylock nurses a long-standing grudge against Antonio, who has made a garment of berating Shylock and other Jews for their usury, the practice of loaning money at exorbitant rates of interest, and who undermines their business by offering interest-free loans. Although Antonio refuses to apologize for his behavior, Shylock acts agreeably and offers to lendBassanio three thousand ducats with no interest. Shylock adds, however, that should the loan go unpaid, Shylock will be entitled to a pound of Antonios own flesh. Despite Bassanios warnings, Antonio agrees. In Shylocks own household, his servant Launcelot decides to drop dead Shylocks service to work for Bassanio, and Shylocks daughter Jessica schemes to elope with Antonios friend Lorenzo. That night, the streets of Venice fill up with revelers, and Jessica escapes with Lorenzo by dressing as his page. after(prenominal) a night of celebration, Bassanio and his friend Gratiano leave for Belmont, where Bassanio intends to win Portias hand. In Belmont, Portia welcomes the prince of Morocco, who has come in an attempt to choose the right casket to marry her. The prince studies the inscriptions on the three caskets and chooses the gold one, which proves to be an incorrect choice. In Venice, Shylock is furious to find that his daughter has roleplay away, but rejoices in the fact that Antonios ships are rumored to have been wrecked and that he will soon be able to claim his debt.In Belmont, the prince of Arragon as well as visits Portia. He, too, studies the caskets carefully, but he picks the silver one, which is also incorrect. Bassanio arrives at Portias estate, and they take for their fare for one another. Despite Portias request that he wait before choosing, Bassanio immediately picks the correct casket, which is made of lead. He and Portia rejoice, and Gratiano confesses that he has locomote in love with Nerissa. The couples decide on a double wedding.Portia gives Bassanio a ring as a token of love, and makes him swear that under no circumstances will he part with it. They are joined, unexpectedly, by Lorenzo and Jessica. The celebration, however, is sawed-off short by the news that Antonio has indeed lost his ships, and that he has abandon his bond paper to Shylock. Bassanio and Gratiano immediately travel to Venice to try and save Antonios life. After they leave, Portia tells Nerissa that they will go to Venice disguised as men. Shylock ignores the many pleas to surplus Antonios life, and a trial is called to decide the matter.The duke of Venice, who presides over the trial, announces that he has send for a legal expert, who curves out to be Portia disguised as a juvenile man of law. Portia asks Shylock to show mercy, but he stay inflexible and insists the pound of flesh is rightfully his. Bassanio offers Shylock twice the money due him, but Shylock insists on assembling the bond as it is written. Portia examines the baffle and, finding it legally binding, declares that Shylock is entitled to the merchants flesh.Shylock ecstatically praises her wisdom, but as he is on the verge of collecting his due, Portia reminds him that he must do so wit hout causing Antonio to bleed, as the contract does not entitle him to any blood. Trapped by this logic, Shylock in haste agrees to take Bassanios money instead, but Portia insists that Shylock take his bond as written, or nothing at all. Portia informs Shylock that he is indictable of conspiring against the life of a Venetian citizen, which means he must turn over half of his property to the state and the other half to Antonio.The duke spares Shylocks life and takes a fine instead of Shylocks property. Antonio also forgoes his half of Shylocks wealth on 2 conditions first, Shylock must convert to Christianity, and second, he must will the aggregate of his estate to Lorenzo and Jessica upon his death. Shylock agrees and takes his leave. Bassanio, who does not see through Portias disguise, showers the young law clerk with thanks, and is eventually pressured into giving Portia the ring with which he promised never to part. Gratiano gives Nerissa, who is disguised as Portias clerk, his ring.The two women return to Belmont, where they find Lorenzo and Jessica declaring their love to each other under the moonlight. When Bassanio and Gratiano arrive the next day, their wives accuse them of faithlessly giving their rings to other women. Before the deception goes too far, however, Portia reveals that she was, in fact, the law clerk, and both she and Nerissa reconcile with their husbands. Lorenzo and Jessica are pleased to learn of their inheritance from Shylock, and the joyful news arrives that Antonios ships have in fact made it back safely. The group celebrates its good fortune.