SYNOPSIS

The Merchant of Venice is perhaps one of the best plays created by William
Shakespeare. It tells the story of a merchant called Antonio, the Merchant of Venice, lends
three thousand ducats to his friend Bassanio in order to assist him in his wooing of the
wealthy and beautiful Portia of Belmont, an estate some distance from Venice.
Antonio’s own money is tied up in business ventures that depend on the safe return of
his ships from sea, so he borrows the money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender whom he
has previously insulted for his high rates of interest.
Shylock lends the money against a bond. Failure to repay the loan on the agreed date
will entitle Shylock to a pound of Antonio’s flesh.

TYPES OF DRAMA
The merchant of venice goes into the type of drama tragicomedy because it shares
features in common with comedies but also contains the kind of dark elements we typically
find in tragedies. (Shylock’s desire for a pound of flesh is pretty intense, and the way Shylock
is treated by the Christian characters is pretty sickening and well tragic).
The Merchant of Venice is the conflict between self interest and love. On the surface
level, the major difference between Shylock the Jew and the Christian characters of the play
is their level of compassion. On one hand, the Christians value the importance of human
relationships over their business contacts. Unlike them, on the other hand, Shylock is heavily
invested in material gain so that his family relationships and his life were shatter.

WORD OF PLAY

STRUCTURE OF THE DRAMA

 Time : the 16th century
 Place :
A. Venice
A city where many businessmen live, a place full of unhappy and unkind people.
Venice has been portrayed by Shakespeare as the “real” world. It represents earning money,
accumulating it, protecting it, fighting for it.
B. Belmont
A city which houses a rich, happy and sophisticated society of beautiful people. Life
in Belmont is so slow and peaceful, and the whole location is so dreamlike Belmont is a
fairy-tale world of music and love.
  Stage of the Plot
Exposition: The opening scenes introduce the main characters, Antonio, Bassanio, Shylock
and Portia and the setting in Venice and Belmont. The initial situation is Antonio’s need to
borrow money to help Bassanio from Shylock, who hates him.
Rising Action: Complications of the main situation between Antonio and Shylock happen. A
letter comes announcing that Antonio’s ventures have failed. Shylock becomes more enraged
when Jessica runs away with his money, which adds to his anger. He becomes more
determined on having his bond to the letter of the law.
Climax: In the trial scene, it seems that nothing can save Antonio from Shylock’s knife.
Falling Action: Shylock cannot have his bond. He is ordered to convert to Christianity and
leave his possessions to his daughter, Jessica and Lorenzo. Portia and Nerissa persuade their
husbands to give up their rings.
Denouement: Finally, all lovers gather safely in Belmont. Portia and Nerissa forgive
Bassanio and Gratiano after teasing them. Antonio’s ships safely return.

CHARACTERS
a. Shylock
Shylock is clearly positioned as the play's antagonist. At first, it may seem like he is
helping Antonio and Bassanio achieve their goals by lending money. However, Shylock
makes it clear that he intends to exploit Antonio's need in hopes of hurting him: "If I can
catch him once upon the hip, / I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him
b. Bassanio
Bassanio's protagonist because he request to Antonio for more money is perfectly
natural for him. He is young, he is in love; and he is, by nature, impulsive and romantic. "If
you did know, "he tells Portia, for what I gave the ring/And how unwillingly I left the ring.
You would abate the strength of your displeasure."
c. Lorenzo
Lorenzo is a really good guy. when Lorenzo talks about Jessica, he says he loves her
because she's smart, beautiful, and loyal. Lorenzo makes this declaration of love right after
Jessica promises to "gild [her]self / with some more ducats. We also notice in this passage
that Lorenzo says "beshrew me levil befall me] but I love her heartily
d. Nerissa
Nerissa is a protagonist, she is Portia's lady-in-waiting, confidante and advisor,
Nerissa shows loyalty and love. She listens to Portia's complaints disguised as the lawyer's
clerk. She and Gratiano's relationship seems to parallel that of Portia and Bassanio's. Both
couples. marry and quarrel at the same time. "Nerissa teaches me what to believe Says portia.
Act 5 Scene 1
 e. Antonio
Antonio is the protagonist.Antonio wants to help Bassanio win Portia, and is willing
to do anything to achieve this goal.he calmly accepts his fate and even suggests that he is
happy to die for Bassanio's sake: "Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you / For herein
Fortune shows herself more kind/ Than is her custom"
f. Portia
Portia definitely has the characteristics of a protagonist: she's willful, clever, stubborn,
and knows how to turn events to her favor. "In Belmont is a lady richly left, /And she is fair".
Portia is rich and hot, which makes her the most eligible bachelorette in Belmont.
g. Jessica
Jessica abandons her father, Shylock, and her Jewish identity in order to marry
Lorenzo and convert to Christianity. She makes it clear that she is unhappy living with
Shylock, saying things like "our house is hell" and "though I am daughter to his blood / I am
not to his manners"
h. Gratiano
Gratiano is Bassanio's friend who accompanies him to Belmont and to the courtroom.
He is light- hearted and often makes crude jokes and comments. He marries Portia's lady-in-
waiting, Nerissa. "Let me play the Fool. With mirth and laughter" Says gratiano Act 1 Scene
1

LANGUAGE AND RHETORIC

Allusion: “If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtained
by the manner of my father’s will…” (Act 1, scene 2, lines 101-103) Portia is saying that she
will remain unmarried for the rest of her life, until a man chooses the right casket and gains
the right to marry her.
Simile: “Mark you this, Bassanio, the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul
producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek, A goodly apple rotten at the
heart: O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath! ( Act 1, scene 3, lines 93-98)
Antonio advises Bassanio to beware of Shylock’s words by using “like” to compare
Shylock to the devil. Antonio portrays Shylock as a man who is able to the sugarcoat bad
things and make them appear acceptable.
Etaphor: “… Never so rich a gem was set in worse than gold…” (Act 2,scene 7, lines 54-55)
Morocco is comparing Portia’s picture to a gem. He says that Portia’s picture is of so high
value, like a rare gem.
Hyperbole: “Why, that’s the lady; all the world desires her from the four corners of the earth
they come, to kiss this shrine, this mortal-breathing saint: The Hyrcanian deserts and the
vasty wilds of wide Arabia are as thoroughfares now for princes to come view fair Portia
(Act2, scene7, lines 38-47)
 Morocco uses exaggeration to say that the beauty of Portia is so great that men travel
from the all over the world, crossing deserts, crossing through the oceans like they were tiny
streams, to look upon her beauty and try to woo her.
Personification: “I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the
carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip Report be an honest woman
of her word. (Act 3, scene1, lines 4-7) Salerio personifies Report as an old woman who tells
him what she hears about Antonio’s ships

FURTHER DIMENSIONS AND DEVICES

MORAL VALUE
The message was portrayed in the play through the friendship of the two protagonist:
Antonio and Bassanio. Both had a deep and genuine friendship as they proved that a true
friend always helps each other when circumstances allow.Their deep connection with each
other were showed numerous times in the play; the most obvious one is when Bassanio asked
Antonio to lend him money. To you, Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love, and from
your love I have a warranty to unburden all my plots and purposes how to get clear of all the
debts I owe. William Shakespeare wants to deliver the message that true friends are always
eager to help each other whenever and wherever.