- BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR

Introduction
 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
Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's
other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most
remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best known
for Shylock and the famous 'Hath not a Jew eyes' speech.
Also notable is Portia's speech about the 'quality of mercy.
CHARACTERS
ANTONIO :

The merchant whose love for his friend Bassanio prompts him
to sign Shylock’s contract and almost lose his life. Antonio is
something of a mercurial figure, often inexplicably
melancholy and, as Shylock points out, possessed of an
incorrigible dislike of Jews. Nonetheless, Antonio is beloved
of his friends and proves merciful to Shylock, albeit with
conditions
SHYLOCK :

A Jewish moneylender in Venice. Angered by his mistreatment at

the hands of Venice’s Christians, particularly the merchant
Antonio, Shylock schemes to get revenge by ruthlessly demanding
a pound of Antonio’s flesh as penalty for Antonio’s defaulting on
a loan. The Christian characters in the play regard Shylock as an
inhuman monster, frequently mocking him for being obsessed
with money. In person, however, Shylock comes across as far
more than a caricature or stereotype. His resentment at his
mistreatment, his anger at his daughter’s betrayal, and his
eloquent expressions of rage make him a convincing, entirely
human character.
PORTIA :

A wealthy heiress from Belmont. Portia’s beauty is matched

only by her intelligence. Bound by a clause in her father’s will
that forces her to marry whichever suitor chooses correctly
among three caskets, Portia nonetheless longs to marry her true
love, Bassanio. Far and away the cleverest of the play’s
characters, Portia disguises herself as a young male law clerk in
an attempt to save Antonio from Shylock’s knife.
BASSANIO :

A gentleman of Venice and a kinsman and dear friend to

Antonio. Bassanio’s love for the wealthy Portia leads him to
borrow money from Shylock with Antonio as his guarantor. An
ineffectual businessman, Bassanio nonetheless proves himself a
worthy suitor, correctly identifying the casket that contains
Portia’s portrait.
GRATIANO :
Friend of Bassanio, a very talkative and witty man . His garrulity
is his most striking trait.

LORENZO :
He is a young man who somehow is successful in capturing the
heart of Jessica, daughter of Shylock.
 
JESSICA :

Jessica is the daughter of Shylock. She is a very beautiful, wise,

and a charming girl with a strong sense of humour and poetical
nature.

NERISSA :

She’s the waiting maid of Portia but more of a companion than

a maid servant
• Gratiano, Solanio, Salarino, Salerio – friends of Antonio and
Bassanio
• Balthazar – Portia's disguise as a lawyer
• Stephano – Nerissa's disguise as 'Balthazar's law clerk.
• Tubal – a Jew; Shylock's friend
• Lancelot Gobbo – a foolish man in the service of Shylock
• Old Gobbo – father of Lancelot
• Leonardo – servant to Bassanio
• Duke of Venice – Venetian authority who presides over the
case of Shylock's bond
• Prince of Morocco – suitor to Portia
• Prince of Arragon – suitor to Portia
• Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the Court of Justice, Gaoler,
servants to Portia, and other Attendants
PLOT
 The play starts with Antonio, a Venetian merchant, who agrees
to give his best friend Bassanio the money he needs to travel to
Belmont, where Bassanio hopes to meet and marry the beautiful
Portia. Antonio has no cash, so he goes to Shylock, a Jewish
money lander. Antonio gets the money but accepts a terrible
forfeit: a pound of his flesh. In Belmont, Portia meets a series
of suitors. Her father’s will stipulates that she must marry the
man who chooses correctly from among three caskets finding
the one containing her portrait. The Prince of Morocco and the
Prince of Aragon both fail; Bassanio wisely chooses the lead
casket.
 But just as the couple are united, news arrives that Antonio’s
ships have been lost at sea: he will not able to repay Shylock on
time. Shylock pretends Antonio’s flesh, his case against Antonio
is brought to trial, presided over by the Doge. Meanwhile
Jessica, Shylock’s daughter, flees with Lorenzo. Only with the
intervention of Portia and her maid Nerissa dressed up like men,
Antonio is saved and Shylock loses all his properties. Back in
Belmont, Portia and Nerissa finally reveal the truth to their
husbands. Portia and Bassanio are reunited just as news arrives
that Antonio’s ships have been saved.
ACT 1
SCENE 1 :
In scene 1 Antonio, a merchant of Venice is talking to
his friends Salarino and Salanio who think that Antonio
is sad because of his argosies on the ocean, however
he rejects that. Then Bassanio, Gratziano and Lorenzo
arrive and Continue their conversation over Antonio’s
melancholic mood. When Antonio and Bassanio are left
alone, Bassanio Propounds his need for money in order
to propose Portia, a rich heiress. Antonio who is so
generous toward him says that he does not have much
wealth at that time, but offers to borrow money for
him.
SCENE 2 :
This act takes place in Portia’s house at Belmont; a
conversation between Portia and her waiting-woman,
Nerissa about Portia’s suitors. According to her dead
father’s will, she has to marry someone, who win the
lottery choosing the correct casket among three
chests of gold, silver and lead. Portia is complaining
about both this will and her suitors. Nerissa tries to
calm her down and at the end she reminds Portia of a
suitor called Bassanio, Antonio’s friend, whom Portia
remembers him worthy of Nerissa’s praise.
SCENE 3 :
Bassanio turns to shylock, a Jew who makes his living as a moneylender,
for borrowing three thousand ducats and tells that Antonio will be
responsible for repaying the loan. Shylock agrees and asked Bassanio if he
may speak with Antonio first. Bassanio invite shylock to dine with them.
But shylock refuse to eat with Christians. Antonio enters, he and shylock
start a conversation full of irony because each of them think that he is
superior to the other in his religion. Shylock in a hypocritical manner
pretends that he does not have any enmity with them and accept to lend
Bassanio money, with the guarantee that if they can not repay it in three
months he would only demand a pound of Antonio's flesh. Antonio thinks
Shylock is only joking about the pound of flesh, and is happy to seal the
contract.
ACT 2
SCENE 1 :

In Belmont, the prince of Morocco arrives to attempt to win Portia’s

hand in marriage. The prince asks Portia not to judge him by his dark
complexion, assuring her that he is as valorous as any European man.
Portia reminds the prince that her own tastes do not matter, since the
process of picking chests, stipulated in her father’s will, makes the
prince as worthy as any other suitor. With a lengthy proclamation of his
own bravery and heroism, the prince asks Portia to lead him to the
caskets, where he may venture his guess. She reminds him that the
penalty for guessing incorrectly is that he must remain unmarried
forever. The prince accepts this stipulation, and Portia leads him off to
dinner.
SCENE 2 :
Launcelot Gobbo, a servant of Shylock’s, struggles to decide whether or
not he should run away from his master. Part of him, which he calls “[t]he
fiend . . . at mine elbow,” wants to leave, while his conscience reminds
him of his honest nature and urges him to stay (II.ii.2). Although Launcelot
has no specific complaints, he seems troubled by the fact that his master
is Jewish, or, as Launcelot puts it, “a kind of devil” (II.ii.19). Just when
Launcelot determines to run away, his father, Old Gobbo, enters. The old
man is blind, and he asks how to get to Shylock’s house, where he hopes to
find young Launcelot. Because his father does not recognize him,
Launcelot decides to play a prank on him—he gives the old man confusing
directions and reports that Launcelot is dead.
When Launcelot reveals the deception, Old Gobbo doubts that the man
before him is his son, but Launcelot soon convinces his father of his
identity. Launcelot confesses to his father that he is leaving Shylock’s
employment in the hopes of serving Bassanio. Just then, Bassanio
enters and the two plead with him to accept Launcelot as his servant.
Bassanio takes several moments to understand their bumbling
proposition, but he accepts the offer. Bassanio then meets Gratiano,
who asks to accompany him to Belmont, and agrees on the condition
that Gratiano tame his characteristically wild behavior. Gratiano
promises to be on his best behavior, and the two men plan a night of
merriment to celebrate their departure.
SCENE 3 :

Shylock’s daughter Jessica bids good-bye to Launcelot. She tells him that
his presence made life with her father more bearable. Jessica gives
Launcelot a letter to carry to Bassanio’s friend Lorenzo, and Launcelot
leaves, almost too tearful to say good-bye. Jessica, left alone, confesses
that although she feels guilty for being ashamed of her father, she is only
his daughter by blood, and not by actions. Still, she hopes to escape her
damning relationship to Shylock by marrying Lorenzo and converting to
Christianity.
SCENE 4 :
On a street in Venice, Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Solanio discuss the
plan to unite Lorenzo with Jessica. Gratiano frets that they are not well
prepared, but Lorenzo assures the men that they have enough time to gather
the necessary disguises and torchbearers. As they talk, Launcelot enters
bearing Jessica’s letter. Lorenzo recognizes the writing, lovingly exclaiming
that the hand that penned the message is “whiter than the paper it writ on”
(II.iv.13). Lorenzo bids Launcelot to return to Shylock’s house in order to
assure Jessica, secretly, that Lorenzo will not let her down. Launcelot departs,
and Lorenzo orders his friends to prepare for the night’s festivities. Salarino
and Solanio leave, and Lorenzo relates to Gratiano that Jessica will escape
from Shylock’s house by disguising herself as Lorenzo’s torchbearer. Lorenzo
gives Gratiano the letter and asks Gratiano to read it, then leaves, excited for
the evening’s outcome.
SCENE 5 :
Shylock warns Launcelot that Bassanio will not be as lenient a master as
Shylock himself has been, and that Launcelot will no longer be at liberty to
overeat and oversleep. Shylock calls for Jessica and tells her that he has
been summoned for dinner. Worried by a premonition that trouble is
brewing, Shylock asks Jessica to keep the doors locked and not look out at
the revelry taking place in the streets. Launcelot whispers to Jessica that
she must disobey her father and look out the window for the Christian who
“will be worth a Jewës eye” (II.v.41). Shylock asks Jessica about her
furtive conversation with Launcelot, and says that, though Launcelot is
kind, he eats and sleeps too much to be an efficient, worthwhile servant.
After Shylock has left to see Bassanio, Jessica bids him farewell, thinking
that, if nothing goes wrong, Shylock will soon have lost a daughter, and
she, a father.
 SCENE 6 :
As planned, Gratiano and Salarino meet in front of Shylock’s house. They
are especially anxious because Lorenzo is late, and they think that lovers
tend always to be early. The garrulous Gratiano expounds on Salarino’s
theory that love is at its best when the lover chases the object of his
affection, and that once the lover captures his lady and consummates the
relationship, he tends to tire and lose interest. Lorenzo joins them,
apologizes for his tardiness, and calls up to Jessica, who appears on the
balcony dressed as a page. Jessica tosses him a casket of gold and jewels.
Jessica descends and exits with Lorenzo and Salarino. Just then, Antonio
enters to report that Bassanio is sailing for Belmont immediately. Gratiano
is obliged to leave the festivities and join Bassanio at once.
SCENE 7 :
Back in Belmont, Portia shows the prince of Morocco to the caskets, where
he will attempt to win her hand by guessing which chest contains her
portrait. The first casket, made of gold, is inscribed with the words, “Who
chooseth me shall gain what many men desire” (II.vii.37). The second,
made of silver, reads, “Who chooseth me shall get as much as he
deserves” (II.vii.23). The third, a heavy leaden casket, declares, “Who
chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath” (II.vii.16). After much
pondering, the prince chooses the gold casket, reasoning that only the
most precious metal could house the picture of such a beautiful woman.
He opens the chest to reveal a skull with a scroll in its eye socket. After
reading a short poem chastising him for the folly of his choice, the prince
makes a hasty departure. Portia is glad to see him go and hopes that “[a]ll
of his complexion choose me so” (II.viii.79).
SCENE 8 :

Having witnessed Shylock’s rage upon learning of Jessica’s elopement,

Solanio describes the scene to Salarino. Shylock, he reports, railed against
the loss of his daughter and his ducats, and he shouted a loud, urgent
appeal for justice and the law to prevail. Solanio hopes that Antonio is
able to pay his debt, but Salarino reminds him of rumors that the long-
awaited ships have capsized in the English Channel. The two men warmly
remember Bassanio’s departure from Antonio, wherein the merchant
insisted that his young friend not allow thoughts of debt or danger to
interfere with his courtship of Portia.
SCENE 9 :
The prince of Arragon is in Belmont to try his luck at winning Portia’s hand
in marriage. When brought to the caskets, he selects the silver one,
confident that he “shall get as much as he deserves” (II.ix.35). Inside, he
finds a portrait of a blinking idiot, and a poem that condemns him as a
fool. Soon after he departs, a messenger arrives to tell Portia that a
promising young Venetian, who seems like the perfect suitor, has come to
Belmont to try his luck at the casket game. Hoping that it is Bassanio,
Portia and Nerissa go out to greet the new suitor.
ACT 3
SCENE 1 :
Solanio and Salarino have a conversation and reveal that one of
Antonio’s ships has wrecked in the Narrow Sea. Shylock enters the
scene and receives the good news. He is still planning on taking
revenge on Antonio. Shylock talks with Tubal, another Jew. Tubal
reveals that Jessica has been spending a lot of Shylock’s money. She
has even purchased a monkey with her mother’s engagement ring.
SCENE 2 :

 Bassanio is preparing to choose a casket. Portia wants him to wait a day or

two before choosing, but Bassanio wants to do it right away. Portia plays a
song and music while Bassanio chooses. He ends up choosing the lead casket
and “Portia’s counterfeit” is inside, meaning that he has won the lottery.
He will marry Portia and inherit all of her wealth. It is revealed that
Gratiano will marry Nerissa. As the two couples are celebrating their
relationships, Lorenzo and Jessica show up in Belmont with Salerio,
Bassanio’s servant. Bassanio is given a letter from Antonio. Antonio says that
his ships have all wrecked and Shylock has come calling for him flesh. Portia
tells Bassanio that they need to go to a church and get married and after
that, Bassanio should leave to help him friend. Portia gives Bassanio a ring.
 SCENE 3 :

Antonio begs Shylock to forget the agreement, but Shylock is staying

true to the bond that was made. He wants to take a pound of Antonio’s
flesh. Antonio must go on trial before the Duke of Venice. Antonio
thinks that he is going to lose the trial because by law, he made a bond
with Shylock.
SCENE 4 :
Bassanio and Gratiano leave for Venice. Portia tells Lorenzo and Jessica to
look after her house while she is away. She and Nerissa are planning on
going to Venice. Portia and Nerissa are going to disguise themselves as
boys. They leave Belmont and head to the docks
SCENE 5 :

Jessica and Lancelot Gobbo are having a conversation. Lancelot tells

Jessica that she is going to have to pay for the sins of her father. Lorenzo
yells at Lancelot and tells him to prepare for a feast that they will be
having later that night.
ACT 4
SCENE 1 :

Shylock and Antonio appear before the Duke of Venice. Shylock

demands fulfillment of the letter of their contract, and Antonio
believes it is pointless to argue or try to reason with Shylock. The duke
hopes Shylock will relent and show Antonio mercy at the last minute,
but Shylock makes it clear he has no such plan. He says he wants the
pound of flesh because it is "[his] humor," and he refuses when 
Bassanio offers him twice the sum of the original loan. Shylock
compares his entitlement to Antonio's body to the way other Venetians
feel entitled to do as they will with the bodies of their slaves and
animals.
 The duke calls Doctor Bellario from Padua and Balthazar, Doctor
Bellario's colleague from Rome, who is actually Portia in disguise. She
first appeals to Shylock to show Antonio mercy because mercy is its
own reward. She goes on to respond to Shylock's calls for justice by
saying, "That in the course of justice none of us/Should see salvation.
We do pray for mercy." Shylock remains unmoved, just as he remains
unmoved by Bassanio's repeated offers to pay twice or 10 times the
sum of the loan. Portia looks at the bond and urges Shylock to accept
three times the amount of the loan. When he refuses again, Portia bids
Antonio to prepare for Shylock's knife. She waits until Shylock
approaches Antonio with the knife before stopping him and informing
him that the bond allows him a pound of Antonio's flesh, but it does not
allow him any drop of Antonio's blood.
 It is impossible for Shylock to take his pound of flesh without spilling
blood, so Shylock is found guilty of conspiring to commit murder against
a citizen of Venice. He could receive the death penalty for this crime,
but the duke spares his life. The duke takes half Shylock's fortune for
the state and gives the other half to Antonio. Antonio asks the court to
drop the fine of half his goods to the state and says he will give his own
half of Shylock's fortune to Lorenzo and Jessica upon Shylock's death.
He requires Shylock to leave any of his own possessions to Lorenzo and
Jessica upon his death as well and that Shylock convert to Christianity.
Shylock agrees to these terms and leaves the court.
 After Shylock departs and Antonio is freed, he and Bassanio thank
Portia—still believing her to be Balthazar—for her assistance. They insist
on giving her some payment for her trouble, and she takes Bassanio's
gloves. She then asks for his ring, the one she gave him when they were
wed. Bassanio refuses to part with the ring, and she scolds him for not
giving her the ring and takes her leave. Antonio then convinces
Bassanio to send the ring to the legal scholar saying, "Let his deserving's
and my love withal/Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment."
Bassanio sends Gratiano to catch up with Portia and give her the ring.
SCENE 2 :

Portia instructs Nerissa to go to Shylock's home and have him sign the

deed that gives his property to Jessica and Lorenzo. Before she leaves, 
Gratiano arrives to deliver Bassanio's ring and invite her to dinner. She
turns down the dinner invitation but accepts the ring and asks Gratiano
to show Nerissa the way to Shylock's house. Nerissa tells Portia she will
try to get her own ring from Gratiano. Portia believes she will get the
ring easily and assures Nerissa they will have the last word on their
husbands.
ACT 5
The end