book report on merchant of venice

A Summary and Analysis of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies, and is widely studied and has been subject to considerable analysis. Contrary to what many people think, the ‘merchant’ of the title isn’t Shylock (of whom more below) but the far less famous character, Antonio. So how well do we know The Merchant of Venice ? Below, we offer some words of analysis, but first, it might be worth recapping the plot of the play.

Plot summary

There are two main plot strands to The Merchant of Venice , both closely intertwined. The first involves Portia, the wealthy heiress of Belmont, who decides that she will marry whichever suitor picks the right casket when faced with a choice of three (made of gold, silver, and lead).

The second involves a loan the Jewish moneylender, Shylock, makes to Antonio, the merchant of the play’s title. These two plot lines are connected because Antonio borrows money from Shylock in order to help out his friend, Bassanio, who wishes to finance a trip to Belmont to try his hand at Portia’s ‘three caskets’ trial. (The princes of Morocco and Aragon both choose the wrong caskets, but Bassanio correctly guesses that the lead casket, and the two are engaged.)

The terms of the loan are as follows: Antonio will repay the money to Shylock when his ships return from their voyage; if he fails to pay up then, Shylock will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s flesh. When Antonio’s ships are declared lost at sea, he cannot repay the debt to Shylock, who promptly demands his pound of flesh.

These two threads run through the play, becoming united towards the end of the play, when Portia disguises herself as a male lawyer in order to defend Antonio against Shylock’s knife. She is aided by her maid, Nerissa, who is engaged to Bassanio’s friend, Gratiano; Nerissa is also disguised as a man (Portia’s clerk).

After trying, unsuccessfully, to appeal to Shylock’s ‘quality of mercy’ (a famous speech which we have analysed here ), Portia changes tack, and saves Antonio on a legal technicality: whilst his agreement with Shylock allows the Jewish moneylender a pound of Antonio’s flesh, it does not entitle him to a drop of the merchant’s blood – and if he tries to remove a pound of his flesh and makes him bleed, he will be liable. Shylock is defeated, and Antonio saved.

And Shylock is well and truly defeated: he has to pay ‘damages’ to Antonio – half of his entire wealth – and is also forced to convert from Judaism to Christianity. However, Antonio gives the money he gets from Shylock immediately to Jessica, Shylock’s daughter, who had earlier eloped with Lorenzo, against her father’s wishes.

There is one last, romantic, twist to the plot: before the trial, Portia and Nerissa had made gifts of rings to their betrotheds, Antonio and Gratiano. After the trial is over, to express their gratitude to the lawyer and clerk for saving Antonio’s skin (literally), they both give their rings to the lawyer and ‘his’ clerk as tokens of thanks.

To test (and have a bit of fun with) the two men, Portia and Nerissa, back in Belmont and out of their male disguises, ask the returning Antonio and Gratiano where the rings are which they gave them. The two men say they have lost them, and the two women produce new ones – which are really, of course, the originals. As a final piece of good luck, Antonio learns that not all of his ships were lost at sea, and the two couples celebrate their upcoming wedding.

Venice has a long-standing association with trade, commerce, and money. The materialistic world of this city-state regards people only in terms of their financial worth, and Shylock embodies this cold materialism in the extreme. To him, Antonio is only a debtor, so much flesh, from whom he can extract his pound if Antonio is unable to repay his loan. The great clash in The Merchant of Venice is between money and love, as both Shylock’s trial and Portia’s very different ‘trial’ – the test of the three caskets – demonstrate.

Against this heartlessly materialistic worldview is set the world of mercy and compassion, expressed in the two most famous speeches from The Merchant of Venice : Portia’s ‘The quality of mercy is not strained’ and Shylock’s own ‘Hath not a Jew eyes? If you prick us, do we not bleed?’

The valorisation of wealth and gold above all else is also famously rejected and criticised in Portia’s three caskets: gold and silver seem to promise the suitor wealth (in the form of Portia’s inheritance), but it is only by rejecting these in favour of the relatively worthless lead that Bassanio proves his worth as a potential husband to her.

However, the plot of The Merchant of Venice doesn’t entirely reject the world of money: Antonio borrows money from Shylock in an act of friendship (to help his relatively poor friend Bassanio travel to Belmont to undertake Portia’s three caskets test), but it’s also a financial reality that money is needed to be in the ‘race’.

And it’s worth noting that mercy doesn’t triumph over materialism at the trial: Shylock is deaf to Portia’s appeals, and his contract with Antonio can only be defeated on a technicality which speaks the only kind of language Shylock recognises.

And Shylock is the key to the whole play, as the confusion over him being mistaken for its title character demonstrates. For Harold Bloom, in a persuasive analysis of The Merchant of Venice in his book Shakespeare: The Invention Of The Human , The Merchant of Venice presents a number of difficult problems.

First, there’s no denying it is an anti-Semitic play; second, for Bloom, Shylock should be played as a comic villain and not a sympathetic character for the play to have ‘coherence’ and make full sense; third, to play Shylock this way would no doubt exacerbate the play’s anti-Semitic properties.

Many recent productions of The Merchant of Venice have certainly depicted Shylock more sympathetically than he was probably played when the play was first staged, in the 1590s which gave London not only Christopher Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta (whose title character, Barabbas, is a cartoon villain too exaggerated to be taken with complete seriousness) but also the execution of the Portuguese Jewish immigrant Roderigo Lopez, physician to Queen Elizabeth I, who was accused of plotting to kill the Queen (he was, almost certainly, innocent).

If the casual anti-Semitism that was widely tolerated as recently as the early twentieth century is anything to go by, Shakespeare’s original audience would probably have viewed Shylock as a money-grubbing villain.

But as is so often with Shakespeare’s characterisation, the character can be interpreted more sympathetically (his famous ‘If you prick us, do we not bleed?’ speech is one example of where we can find evidence for this interpretation), and this is the line most modern productions of the play have taken. And it must be a hard-hearted reader or spectator who can watch Shylock being forced to convert to Christianity (by Antonio) and not feel a twinge of uneasiness.

What’s more, the parallels between Antonio and Shylock arguably don’t end with that popular misconception over who the title character is. Antonio is just as money-driven as Shylock, and – as his insistence that Shylock be made to convert to Christianity shows – not exactly overflowing with Christian charity. This is the mentality that Venice seems to engender: a world of financial interests, account books, and hatred and mistrust of others.

The Merchant of Venice has become Shylock’s play, eclipsing all else, and whilst there may not be much else besides him that makes the play interesting, the one exception here is Portia, who is one of Shakespeare’s finest female roles from the 1590s.

4 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice”

Definitely one of Shakespeare’s problematic plays. I view it more as a tragi-comedy and believe Shakespeare provided ambiguity towards Shylock in that he did not lampoon him but gave him full characterization. Perhaps Shakespeare wanted the audience to see beyond the culture and see a person.

Problematic indeed! Thank you for your most interesting exploration of the issues.

VERY CLEAR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO READ IT AS ONE PART OF MY READINGS

Wouldn’t thou allow such mercy to Shylock if he show an ounce of pennant thought, or would it rather be rendered he suffer the harsh justice he demanded upon Antonio that you, in your fraudulent identity, chastised him for. You ask that Shylock grant mercy, but you refuse him such the like. Surely, you present him the harshest of consequences. Perhaps, opportune his chance of recompense and change of heart. Allow the man his beliefs and as well an example to present to his like minded. Allow him at least the the humane existence, some mere portion of fortune. There must be thoughts and consistency of mercy , although through consequential reasoning, placed upon both arguments.

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The Merchant of Venice

William shakespeare, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

In Venice, Bassanio , a not-so-wealthy nobleman, asks to borrow money from his dear friend and wealthy merchant Antonio , in order to have the funds to woo Portia , a wealthy noblewoman. Although Antonio doesn't have cash handy, because all of his ships are at sea, he gives Bassanio permission to borrow as much money as he needs on Antonio's credit.

Meanwhile, at her nearby country estate of Belmont, Portia laments to her serving woman Nerissa about her father's will, which stipulates that any man who wants to marry Portia must answer a riddle by choosing one of three " caskets ," or chests (one gold, one silver, and one lead). Only the man who chooses correctly can become Portia's husband. Portia has been disgusted with all of her suitors thus far. Still, Nerissa reminds Portia of a fine Venetian marriage prospect—Bassanio.

Bassanio asks the Jewish moneylender, Shylock , to lend him 3000 ducats. After much hesitation, Shylock agrees—Antonio will guarantee the loan with his property as collateral. However, when Antonio himself arrives and begins insulting Shylock for committing usury (charging interest on his loans), Shylock proposes a bizarre alternative. He will not charge Bassanio any interest for three months. However, if Antonio defaults, Shylock will be entitled to cut one pound of flesh from anywhere on Antonio's body that he likes. Confident that his ships will return to Venice, with many times 3000 ducats, well before Shylock's deadline, Antonio accepts.

At Belmont, the Prince of Morocco arrives to try his luck at the riddle of the caskets. He chooses incorrectly (gold), and leaves in defeat. Meanwhile, in Venice, Lorenzo , a friend of Bassanio's, has fallen in love with Shylock's daughter, Jessica . One night, when Shylock goes out, Jessica steals a large sum of money from her father and elopes, as planned, with Lorenzo. Lorenzo and Jessica, along with many others, then travel with Bassanio to Portia's estate.

The Prince of Aragon is the next of Portia's suitors to try to solve the riddle of the caskets. After much deliberation, he chooses silver, which is wrong. As the Prince of Aragon leaves, Bassanio arrives, laden with gifts for Portia.

A few weeks pass, and news arrives that Antonio's ships have been lost at sea. Though Shylock has been unable to locate Jessica, he consoles himself that he will have his revenge in the form of the pound of flesh promised to him by his contract with Antonio.

Back at Belmont, Portia and Bassanio, who have spent all this time together, have fallen in love. Portia begs Bassanio to wait before facing the riddle, because she can't bear the thought of losing him if he guesses wrong. But he insists on going ahead. To their joy, he chooses the correct casket (lead). To seal their betrothal, Portia gives him a ring , instructing him never to lose it or give it away. Then Nerissa and Bassanio's vulgar friend Gratiano announce that they, too, intend to wed. However, just then, a letter arrives from Antonio, with news of his lost ships and Shylock's intention to collect his pound of flesh. Alarmed, Portia gives Bassanio enough money to repay the loan many times over. As Bassanio hurries off to Venice, Portia hatches a plan of her own to save Antonio.

In the court of Venice, the Duke is presiding over Antonio's trial. Shylock resists their requests that he show mercy and insists on pursuing his "pound of flesh," despite the fact that Bassanio has offered him 9000 ducats instead. Nerissa and Portia arrive on the scene, disguised as a law clerk and a lawyer, respectively. Portia points out that the contract Shylock holds doesn't give him the right to take any blood from Antonio, and that if Shylock sheds even a drop of blood while cutting Antonio's flesh that all of Shylock's wealth will be confiscated by the state. She further finds Shylock guilty of conspiring to kill a Venetian citizen, and therefore must hand over half of his wealth to Antonio and the other half to the state. Antonio and the Duke decide to show mercy, however: Shylock must only give half his wealth to Antonio, and promise to leave the other half of his wealth to Jessica and Lorenzo after his death. In addition, Shylock must convert to Christianity. Devastated, Shylock accepts.

As Portia is leaving, Bassanio (who still thinks she is Balthazar , the lawyer) tries to offer her money in thanks for her favorable judgment. She refuses, asking for his the ring that he is wearing instead. Thinking of his vow never to part with it, Bassanio hesitates. But after some prodding from Antonio, he gives in. Gratiano also gives his ring to Nerissa.

Back at Belmont, Lorenzo and Jessica have been enjoying an idyllic romantic evening. Shortly before dawn, Portia and Nerissa arrive, soon followed by Bassanio, Gratiano, and Antonio. The women feign indignation that their husbands lost their rings. However, they soon end the game and confess their role in the court scene. The couples are reconciled, and news arrives that Antonio's lost ships have returned safely to port, bearing great riches.

The Merchant of Venice

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Summary and Study Guide

The Merchant of Venice is a play written in the 1590s by the English playwright William Shakespeare. It concerns a Jewish moneylender in Venice named Shylock who is determined to extract a pound of flesh from a merchant who fails to pay a debt on time. The play remains controversial due to the anti-Semitic stereotypes it perpetuated in its time and for centuries thereafter. Despite this, the play continues to be read and performed frequently, with many directors opting to frame Shylock as a tragic hero rather than a villain.

Citations for this study guide are sourced from the Folger Shakespeare Library.

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Plot Summary

Bassanio is a Venetian nobleman seeking to marry a wealthy heiress named Portia . With his finances in shambles, he calls on his best friend Antonio to lend him the 3,000 ducats he needs to sail to Portia’s home in Belmont and present himself as a suitor. Antonio, a merchant, has all his assets tied up in ongoing shipping ventures. Expecting a cash infusion once his ships return from their voyages, Antonio borrows the 3,000 ducats from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender he frequently antagonizes with anti-Semitic comments. Given that Shylock rightly perceives Antonio as his enemy, the moneylender forgoes interest on the loan and instead demands a pound of Antonio’s flesh, should the merchant be unable to repay the loan within three months.

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As Bassanio, Antonio, and Shylock negotiate the terms of the loan, Shylock’s daughter Jessica plots to rob her father, elope with Bassanio’s friend Lorenzo , and convert to Christianity. Lorenzo and Jessica escape with thousands of ducats worth of jewelry and travel to Belmont, where Bassanio is headed to woo Portia.

Meanwhile, at Portia’s Belmont estate, the heiress is forced to pick a husband based on an odd scheme stipulated in her deceased father’s will. Suitors must choose either a gold casket, a silver casket, or a lead casket. If the suitor chooses correctly, he will marry Portia. If he does not, he is sworn to secrecy and forced to leave Belmont immediately. So far, Portia has shown little interest in any of her suitors, all of whom fail to pick the correct casket.

When Bassanio arrives at Belmont, Portia is thrilled, having met him and deemed him worthy years earlier. Rejecting superficial appearances, he picks the dull lead casket, the correct choice, and secures Portia’s hand in marriage. Bassanio’s friend Gratiano and Portia’s waiting maid Nerissa also decide to marry.

Just then, Bassanio receives a letter from Antonio. In it, Antonio reveals that his ships are likely wrecked and that he has no money to pay Shylock by the due date. Shylock, meanwhile, is adamant that he collect the pound of flesh as stipulated in the contract. When pressed why, he says it is revenge against Antonio for denying his humanity as a Jew. He says, “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? [...] If you prick us, do we not bleed?” (3.1.57-64).

After the weddings, Portia gives Bassanio 9,000 ducats and instructs him and Gratiano to rush to Venice to save Antonio’s life. After they leave, Portia hatches a scheme to pose as a prominent male lawyer chosen by the duke of Venice to help adjudicate the dispute between Shylock and Antonio. Nerissa accompanies her, dressed as a male clerk. During the proceeding, the duke defers to Portia’s supposed legal expertise, vowing to follow her ruling. When she and Nerissa enter the courtroom dressed as men, neither Bassanio nor Gratiano recognizes them.

Bassanio offers Portia’s 9,000 ducats—three times the principal—but Shylock insists on obtaining a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Portia seizes on Shylock’s adherence to the precise language of the contract and rules that while Shylock is entitled to the pound of flesh, the contract does not entitle him to any of Antonio’s blood. If he spills even a drop of Antonio’s blood while cutting off the pound of flesh, he will have violated the contract. Moreover, Portia finds Shylock guilty of attempted murder, the penalty for which involves forfeiting half his assets to Antonio. When Portia asks Antonio if he would like to display the mercy Shylock denied him, Antonio says Shylock can keep his assets as long as he bequeaths them to Jessica and Lorenzo upon his death. Antonio adds that Shylock must convert to Christianity or the agreement is void.

After the proceedings, Bassanio tries to give Portia—still posing as the lawyer—the 3,000-ducat principal for helping out Antonio. The disguised Portia and Nerissa say all they want in return are the rings they gave Bassanio and Gratiano on their wedding day, which they promised never to take off. With great reluctance, Bassanio and Gratiano agree to give up the rings.

Back at Belmont, an undisguised Portia and Nerissa feign outrage over their husbands’ decision to give away the rings. After verbally torturing the men for a few more minutes, Portia and Nerissa finally show them the rings, revealing that they were the lawyer and clerk all along.

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• The Merchant of Venice

Read our complete study guide on the play “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare. Our study guide covers The Merchant of Venice analysis, summary, themes, and characters..

Introduction

William Shakespeare, the world’s pre-eminent dramatist or playwright and the renowned poet, was born in 1564, in Stratford. During the Elizabethan ages of theatre, he was one of the creative writers. His plays, no doubt, are his everlasting heritage, however, plays are not the only thing he wrote; his poetry is also renowned to this day.

He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets and 2 narrative poems along with some other poems. His plays were published by his colleagues after his death and that too was not original manuscripts. Shakespeare’s heritage is as amusing and varied as his work; his dramas have deposited numerous alterations through several genres and ethos; moreover, his plays have had an everlasting manifestation on stage and big screen. He died in 1616.

Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice” is supposed to be written in between 1596 to 1599. This play is classified as a comedy in the 1st Folio. It also shares certain aspect with Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. The plot of the play centered on love, money, biases, and social injustices. The main characters of the play are Antonio (the merchant of Venice), Portia, Shylock, and Jessica. Other characters include Bassanio, Gratiano, Lorenzo, Nerissa, and so on.

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Summary

The play starts with the Bassanio, a young, nobleman, who wishes to marry a wealthy and beautiful lady Portia, the heiress of Belmont. Bassanio needs a loan of 3000 ducats to sponsor his marriage. He approaches a friend Antonio, a rich merchant of Venice. Antonia promises to give him a loan, however, he was short of money since all his ships and merchandise are invested at the sea to Tripolis. Bassanio, on the advice of Antonia, finds a Jewish moneylender Shylock and mention Antonia as money’s guarantor.

Antonia had already upset Shylock by outspoken prejudice to Jews while on the other hand, Shylock was also familiar with Antonia’s habit to lend money without interest that may force him (Shylock) to charge low rates. At first, Shylock refuses to grant the money to Bassanio, mentioning the mistreatment he suffered from Antonia’s hand.

However, he agrees to lend the loan without interest with a condition that is if Antonia doesn’t repay or is not able to repay his loan with a fixed duration, Shylock will exact a pound of Antonia’s flesh. Antonio, being confident that his ships will return at the time, accepts the offer.

Bassanio, with his friend Gratiano, leaves for Belmont with money in his hands. Gratiano is a young man often over talkative and thoughtless. In the meantime, in the Belmont, Portia is provided with the suitors from her father. Her father left a will for the suitors to choose correct basket from the three baskets- gold, silver, and lead. Each basket has a slogan with hidden meaning. If anyone of them picks the right basket, he would marry Portia.

The Prince of Morocco, the 1st suitor, decides on the gold basket while the Prince of Aragon, the second suitor, decides on the silver basket. Both of them leave unsuccessful. The last suitor was Bassanio, whom the Portia also wishes to succeed. Bassanio decides on the lead basket and succeeds in marrying Portia.

At Venice, Antonio is reported about the lost ships in the sea. In such circumstances, Antonio is unable to repay the debt. While on the other side, Shylock turns out to be more determined to avenge the Christians since his daughter Jessica escaped with a Christian man Lorenzo and converted to Christianity. After the completion of fixed time, Shylock brings Antonio before the court.

Shortly after the marriage of Bassanio with Portia and his friend Gratiano with Portia’s handmaid Nerrisa, Bassanio receives a letter that Antonio is unable to repay the Shylock’s loan. Bassanio immediately leaves for Venice to save Antonio’s life with the money from Portia. Portia follows Bassanio with her maid Nerrisa and disguised as the male lawyer and the clerk.

In the court of Duke of Venice, Shylock declines Bassanio’s offer of double payment of loan i.e. 6000 ducats and demanded the pound of Antonio’s flesh. The Duke wishes to save Antonio’s life but was unable to do so, he handover the case to the visitors- the visitors are Portia, the lawyer in disguised and maid Nerrisa, the clerk in disguised. As the wise lawyer, Portia recurrently asks Shylock to have mercy on Antonio but shylock declines her requests and insists on the demand of pound of flesh.

Finally, the court bequests the Shylock his words and Antonia prepares himself for Shylock knife. However, the twist in the story comes when Portia asks Shylock for the “specific performance”. She mentions that the bond only permits Shylock to remove Antonio’s flesh, not the blood. Therefore, if Shylock stayed to shed a single drop of blood, he will have to surrender his “lands and goods” under Venetian laws.

Moreover, Portia also tells Shylock to cut precisely one pound of flesh and also advises if he cuts more flesh even of the estimate of a single hair, they will confiscate all his goods and wealth.

Helpless to the conditions imposed, Shylock compromises to accept Bassanio’s offer for the evaded bond. However, Portia mentions that he has refused this offer in the open court and now he is unable to avail it. Furthermore, she quotes the law, under which Shylock property has been confiscated in an attempt to murder a citizen. Half of his property is fortified to the government while half to Antonia, leaving Shylock’s life on the mercy of the Duke. The Duke forgives the Shylock.

Antonia gives half of the property back to the Shylock upon condition that the principle share will be given to his Shylock’s daughter, Jessica, by him and shylock should also covert himself to Christianity. At the end of the story, another good news arrives the all of Antonia’s ships have returned safely. The happy ending of the play was celebrated by all except Shylock.

Themes in the Merchant of Venice

Love versus self-interest.

The Christian Characters in the play represents the love and value for human relationships more than money and business, whereas, The Jewish Character, Shylock, represents a character who always think of his self-interest. The merchant Antonia in the play is the best representation of love as he lends money without self-interest.

Secondly, he gets ready to surrender his life for Bassanio. Whereas Shylock value money more than any human relationship which is shown through the scene when his daughter escaped with a Christian man and took his money along with her and Shylock run in streets crying about his money.

However, we cannot merely associate the self-interest to Shylock’s Character. He, too, to some extend disvalue money over human relationships. He got hurt when his daughter Jessica sold the ring that he gifted to his wife. Moreover, he values his resentment more than the money that Bassanio offers.

Bassanio and Portia are also the representation of love in the play.

The plot of the story represents a conflict between Shylock, a Jewish Character, and Antonia, a Christian character. Although, the law is on the Shylock’s side because of the contract that was signed between both, however, he is reluctant to show mercy on Christian character. Shylock, in the play, is the best representation of a Jewish character who is merciless and are of a rigid nature. While on the other hand, Christian characters, strictly adhering to the New Testament is expected to show mercy which is the divine manifestation.

At the climax of the plot, when the story takes the turn and everything goes in favor of Antonia and against Shylock: Antonia, being Christian, shows mercy over Shylock and requests the Duke to return his property upon a certain condition. Mercy, represented in this play, sweet and selfless.

Hatred and Prejudice

At the start of the play, we come to about Antonia’s hatred towards Shylock for being Jewish. Shylock time and again faces Christian’s hatred for one reason or other. This results in developing his inner hatred towards them. This hatred was more polished when his daughter Jessica escaped with a Christian man Lorenzo taking his wealth along. Through the bond, Shylock finds the way to avenge Christians. But the love of Christians overwhelmed shylock’s hate towards them.

The Merchant of Venice Characters Analysis

Antonia is a rich Christian merchant in Venice. His love for his friend Bassanio prompts him to sign a contract of one pound of his flesh. He is a character who possess both the characteristics of the protagonist and antagonists. He shows great love and affection towards his Christian friends but is harsher towards Jews and abuse them with his outspoken Anti-Semitism. However, at the end of the story, being representative of Christian’s New Testament, he shows great mercy towards Shylock, A Jewish Character, too.

He is a rich Jewish moneylender in Venice who is highly angered by the ill-treatment he receives on behalf of Christians, particularly Antonia. Shylock is presented as a villain in the story, who schemes to eke out his revenge by demanding a pound of Antonia’s flesh. He is seen by the audience as an inhuman monster; however, all this reaction is because of the inner hatred that developed slowly and gradually because of the mistreatment he received from Christians. The complex nature of his character earned him a place as the most memorable character in Shakespearean plays.

He is a kind and dear friend of Antonia. Bassanio is a gentleman who falls in love with a wealthy heiress Portia of Belmont and wishes to marry her. His wish to marry Portia leads him to lend 3000 ducats from Shylock with Antonia’s as money guarantor. He, according to the will of Portia’s father, shows himself as the praiseworthy suitor by choosing the right basket.

A beautiful and wealthy heiress of Belmont, whose beauty only matches with her intelligence. She marries Bassanio according to her father’s will. She is the wisest and intelligent character in the play who saves Antonia life by her profound wisdom and acting as the lawyer in disguise.

He is a kind friend of Bassanio who accompanies him to Belmont. He is overly talkative and flippant representing the flat character of the play. He marries Portia’s maid Nerrisa.

She is the handmaid of Portia and marries Portia’s husband friend Gratiano. She accompanies Portia to Venice and acts as lawyer’s clerk in disguise.

She is Shylock’s daughter who is tired of her life at her father’s home and escaped with a Christian man Lorenzo.

He is a friend of Bassanio and Antonia and loves Shylock’s daughter Jessica. He schemed to escape with Jessica and marry her in Belmont.

Duke of Venice:

A kind and merciful ruler of Venice who presides over the trial. Despite powerful man, he is unable to save Antonia’s life and is helpless in front of the law.

The Merchant of Venice Literary Analysis

The play, The Merchant of Venice, is categorized as the comedy, also refers to “problem comedy”. Shakespearean comedy has a light, humorous tone with clever dialogue and witty banter. Mistaken identity, deception plus disguise are the central features of this comedy. Love, marriage, family drama, multiple plots with twists and turns along with the reunification of families are characteristics of Shakespeare comedies that are best represented in this play.

There is no narrator in the play. All the story is presented through dialogues of the characters on the stage.

Shakespeare well-crafted the plot of the play. There are several appropriate instances of witty comedy in the play. The play has a fascinating and speedy scheme that arouses a tranquil, uncontaminated world resonant of fairytale and romance. The play has a complex plot only because of the complex evil nature of Shylock that is disposed at the end of the play. Shakespeare makes critical points about love, justice, mercy, and friendship, the typical Renaissance Virtues.

There are two stories in one play- the casket plot of Portia and the bond story of Shylock. Shakespeare intelligently combines the two plots. The play has uniqueness in its lack of true hero and villain. Apparently, Antonia is seen as the hero by the audience, he also has some antagonistic characteristics like hate for the Jews. While Shylock is presented as the villain of the play who bears hate for Antonia, however, this hate is the consequence of ill-treatment he receives from the Christians.

The play has two setting: the Venice- where bond was made between Shylock and Antonia and the Belmont- where the casket plot of Portia occurs.

Shakespearean comedies are characterized with light and humorous tone, however, this play has a heavier tone that one wouldn’t expect. The story is focused on biases and oppression of minorities that resulted in the heavy tone of the play.

More From William Shakespeare

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Twelfth Night
• The Taming of the Shrew
• As You Like It
• Much Ado About Nothing
• The Comedy of Errors

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The Merchant of Venice

Synopsis and plot overview of shakespeare's the merchant of venice.

• In this section

TL;DR (may contain spoilers): Shylock asks for a pound of flesh as part of a loan contract (weird), Bassanio agrees to it (weirder), and Portia saves the day by cross-dressing and pretending to practice the law (perfectly normal).

The Merchant of Venice Summary

Antonio, an antisemitic merchant, takes a loan from the Jew Shylock to help his friend to court Portia. Antonio can't repay the loan, and without mercy, Shylock demands a pound of his flesh. The heiress Portia, now the wife of Antonio's friend, dresses as a lawyer and saves Antonio. 

More detail: 3 minute read

In Venice, a merchant named Antonio worries that his ships are overdue. As his colleagues offer comfort, his young friends—Bassanio, Graziano, and Lorenzo—arrive. Bassanio asks Antonio for a loan, so that he can pursue the wealthy Portia, who lives in Belmont. Antonio cannot afford the loan. Instead, he sends Bassanio to borrow the money on the security of Antonio's expected shipments.

At Belmont, Portia and her maid, Nerissa, discuss the suitors who have come in response to Portia's father's strange will. The will says Portia may only marry a man who chooses the correct casket made from three possible options: gold, silver, and lead. Much to Portia's distress, all her suitors are unsatisfactory. However, she does fondly remember a time when Bassanio came to Belmont, and that leaves her with some hope. 

Bassanio approaches Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, about the loan. Shylock holds a grudge against Antonio for his lending practices and apparent antisemitism. Still he offers Bassanio the loan. Instead of charging interest, seemingly as a kind of joke, he asks for a pound of Antonio's flesh if the loan isn't repaid within three months. The bond is agreed to (who wouldn't agree to that?) and Bassanio prepares to leave for Belmont with his friend Graziano. 

All that glisters is not gold — Merchant of Venice, Act 2 Scene 7

Meanwhile, one of Shylock's servants, Launcelot, wishes to change masters and persuades Bassanio to employ him. Shylock's daughter, Jessica, also longs to leave home. She wants to become a Christian and marry Antonio's friend Lorenzo. Before he departs to serve his new master, Launcelot takes a letter to Lorenzo that contains plans for Lorenzo and Jessica to elope that night. When Shylock goes out, Jessica escapes to elope, taking gold and jewels with her. The following day, Bassanio sets sail for Belmont, while Shylock rages over the loss of his daughter and the treasures she has stolen. 

In Belmont, one of Portia’s suitors (the Prince of Morocco) chooses the golden casket, while another (the Prince of Aragon) selects silver. Both chose the wrong casket and are unsuccessful. As Aragon leaves, Bassanio is announced. Portia eagerly goes to greet him. 

If you prick us, do we not bleed? — Merchant of Venice, Act 3 Scene 1

After a few days, Shylock hears that his daughter Jessica is squandering her stolen wealth in Genoa. He begins to rail bitterly against Christians. He reminds Antonio's friends that if the loan is not repaid on time, he will insist on the original agreement of one pound of flesh. 

Back in Belmont, Bassanio chooses the lead casket, and in so doing, he wins Portia. His friend Graziano asks for Portia's maid Nerissa to be his wife. Portia gives her ring to Bassanio, making him promise never to give it to another. As Lorenzo and Jessica come to Belmont, news arrives that Antonio's ships have been lost at sea, and he is now bankrupt. They are also told Shylock insists on the fulfilment of his bond and has had Antonio arrested. Bassanio and Graziano leave in haste to help Antonio. Portia and Nerissa resolve to follow afterwards, disguised as lawyers. 

In the court in Venice, Shylock demands his pound of flesh. The Duke, presiding over the court, seeks legal advice from the lawyer "Balthazar," who is Portia in disguise. Portia pleads for Shylock to have mercy on Antonio. Bassanio offers his wife's money, which would more than pay the debt, but Shylock refuses to accept. Antonio's death is only prevented as Balthazar explains the bond is for flesh but not for a single drop of blood. So Shylock cannot collect the pound of flesh. 

For threatening the life of a Venetian, Shylock forfeits his goods to Antonio and Bassanio. Antonio refuses his share of compensation and asks for it to be put in a trust for Lorenzo and Jessica. He also demands that Shylock becomes a Christian. Broken and in submission, Shylock leaves the court. Bassanio and Graziano thank the lawyers, who ask for their rings as legal fees. Bassanio and Graziano refuse until Antonio intervenes and makes them give the rings to the lawyers. 

Undisguised, Portia and Nerissa return home at night to find Lorenzo and Jessica enjoying the tranquillity of Belmont. When their husbands arrive, Portia and Nerissa scold them for giving away their rings, pretending they had been given away to other women. Before long, they reveal themselves as the lawyers from the trial. Antonio receives news that his ships have returned safely after all (looks like we didn't need to go through all this mess in the first place!). The play ends as the three couples prepare to celebrate their marriages.

For additional reading, see our blogs on The Merchant of Venice

Find quotes on marriage from The Merchant of Venice and other Shakespeare Plays: Shakespeare Quotes on Marriage

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About Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice

By Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine Editors of the Folger Shakespeare Library Editions

The Merchant of Venice , like most of Shakespeare’s comedies, is about love and marriage. But the path to marriage in this play is unusually hazardous. The characters compare it to the epic voyage undertaken by Jason and the Argonauts to win the Golden Fleece. In this play, Portia, the fabulously wealthy heiress of Belmont, is herself the Golden Fleece, according to her would-be husband, Bassanio. To win her hand in marriage, he must put his future at risk in an attempt to choose correctly among three caskets or chests made of gold, silver, and lead. If he chooses rightly, he wins, in marriage, the beautiful, intelligent, and supremely resourceful Portia and her great wealth. If he chooses wrongly, he must forever abandon Portia and may never propose marriage to any other woman. He would therefore die without legal heirs.

And the test of the caskets, prescribed in the will of Portia’s dead father, is not the only obstacle to Bassanio and Portia’s happiness. There also stands against them a magnificent villain, the moneylender Shylock. In creating this character, Shakespeare seems to have shared in a widespread and, from our point of view, despicable prejudice against Jews. In Shakespeare’s England there may have been no more than about two hundred Jews; however, Jews loomed large in the imagination because of myths still circulating from the Middle Ages about, for example, their ritual murder of Christians. Shylock would have been regarded as a villain simply because he was a Jew. Yet Shakespeare was led by his art of language to put onstage a character who gave such powerful expression to the alienation he felt because of the hatred around him that, in many productions of the play and in the opinions of many famous actors, Shylock emerges the hero of The Merchant of Venice . In fashioning in Shylock a character whose function is to frustrate the satisfaction that we are invited to desire for the play’s lovers, Shakespeare has, for many people, brought forth a character who rivals the lovers in the power he exerts over us.

Over the centuries Portia too has deeply engaged audiences. In her role as the daughter bound by her father’s will, one who sees herself as helpless in the face of the casket test and whose anxieties and joys we are encouraged to share, Portia is, for readers and playgoers alike, one of Shakespeare’s most appealing heroines. But it is in her role as Balthazar the young lawyer that Portia is most remembered. The speech in which she urges Shylock to show the kind of mercy that “ droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven ,” that “ is enthronèd in the hearts of kings ” and “ is an attribute to God Himself ,” is one of Shakespeare’s most famous and most loved passages. For readers and audiences today, the pleasure that should accompany her saving of Antonio is clouded by what seems to us her cruel treatment of Shylock—but the role of Portia remains one that every Shakespearean actress yearns to play.

After you have read the play, we invite you to turn to “ The Merchant of Venice: A Modern Perspective ,” by Professor Alexander Leggatt of the University of Toronto.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

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This story hinges on the (now proverbial) pound of flesh. Bassanio is a poor gentleman in love with a rich lady, Portia. While Bassanio is upfront with Portia about his poverty — and she could care less — he can’t bring himself to propose to her without a few coins to his name. So, he goes to Antonio, the titular merchant of Venice and a close friend, and asks for a loan. Antonio is free and easy about making loans without requiring interest payments. Antonio says he’d gladly hand over the money to Bassanio, but all his money is tied up in his ships at sea. He, furthermore, tells Bassanio that if anyone will make him loan, the merchant can easily cover it. Antonio has tons of merchandise arriving in the next couple months from all around the world. The loan amount is small compared to what Antonio intends to earn from selling his goods.

The problem is that the only other game in town for loans is a Scrooge-esque lender named Shylock. Shylock is hard enough to deal with as it is, but he has it in for Antonio, in particular. Besides the fact that Antonio frequently offers interest-free loans — cutting into Shylock’s business — Antonio has also kept Shylock from collecting collateral by paying off other people’s loans before said loans went into default. (Maybe that’s why there were no other lenders in all of Venice?) To be fair, Shylock claims that his gripe with Antonio is that the latter is always leveling antisemitic slurs and other insults at the lender. At any rate, Shylock says he’ll make the loan of 3,000 Ducats, but, instead of ship or merchandise, he requires a pound of flesh as bond. Antonio, for reasons of friendship and the fact that he believes he will have a windfall by then, agrees to Shylock’s terms. If he doesn’t repay the 3,000 ducats in three months, Antonio will have a pound of flesh cut from his chest.

[Spoilers follow.] Bassanio takes the cash and goes traveling to make his proposal. First, he is required to play a “Let’s Make a Deal” game in order to earn the opportunity to wed Portia. The game involves three boxes (i.e. caskets): one of gold, one of silver, and one of lead. Inside one of them is a portrait of Portia, but the others are losers. All a prospective suitor has to go by is a brief inscription. By the time Bassanio arrives the reader has seen two Princes’s failed attempts at this courtship game. The inscriptions with the gold and silver boxes flatter Portia and the suitor, respectively. The inscription on the leaden box acknowledges that the marriage will not be all sunshine and roses, and that is the box Bassanio has the wisdom to choose. Unfortunately, shortly after he does so, he learns that a couple of Antonio’s ships wrecked at sea and the others haven’t been heard from, and – by now – the loan is in default.

Bassanio heads out to Venice with triple the Shylock’s money from his generous and wealthy new wife, planning to dispose of the situation. However, Shylock won’t budge on the terms of the bond. A drama plays out in the courtroom. Portia, anticipating the Shylock might not take the lucrative offer, has her butler take a letter to a legal expert and has said servant return with the lawyer’s reply posthaste. Portia and her handmaid disguise themselves as men – a lawyer and legal clerk, respectively – and catch up with the legal proceedings in Venice. After no one (i.e. the Duke, Bassanio, nor Portia-in-disguise as lawyer) is able to reason with the Shylock, Portia-as-lawyer tells him that he may proceed with cutting away the pound of flesh. However, the bond document says nothing about blood. So, if Shylock spills any of Antonio’s blood, he will be guilty of assault (at the least) and murder in the likely event that Antonio dies. Not to mention, going an ounce over a pound would be a breach of contract to be severely countered. This turns the tables, and Antonio and friends end up exploiting the situation to force the Shylock to convert religion as well as dictating the disposition of the lender’s estate (not to mention he’s still out his 3,000 ducats.)

[Spoiler end.] This play has a tense story line, particularly for a comedy, and is a gripping read. However, it’s also one of the most controversial Shakespearean works for its antisemitic and racist comments. On the other hand, there are reasons to believe that Shakespeare might have been engaging in satire. First, I mentioned that Shylock doesn’t cite loss of business as his quarrel with Antonio, but rather that the merchant has repeatedly insulted and slandered him. While we don’t see direct evidence of this behavior, the fact that Antonio rapes Shylock with his religion (by that I mean forcing a conversion using the threat of State force,) makes it ring true. Second, but continuing on this theme, there are a number of points during which the Shylock is sympathetic, most notably the famous “If you prick us, do we not bleed?…” monologue. Third, we learn that Shylock has a delightful daughter named Jessica, leading the reader to the conclusion that perhaps Shylock isn’t a jerk because he’s a Jew, but is a jerk who happens to be a Jew. Finally, the degree to which Antonio and his friends rake Shylock over the coals at the end of the court scene tarnishes Antonio’s virtue and makes Shylock sympathetic once again. The “turn the other cheek” approach of Christianity gives way to Old Testament vengefulness.

Like many of Shakespeare’s plays (notably “The Taming of the Shrew”,) accusations of sexism are also common, but if there were an award for BOSS of this play it would go to Portia, hands down. True, she has to pretend to be a man to get it all done, but those were those the times. The need for disguise also facilitates a prank that she and her handmaid play on their new husbands, regarding their wedding rings. While they are forced to comply with the dictates of the age, the women in this play certainly hold their own as strong characters. Still, I can’t say the degree to which Shakespeare was a satirist versus an anti-Semite / racist / sexist, but it’s a testament to the richness of his stories and the depth of his characters that his works can be interpreted so diversely.

It’s a masterpiece. Read it.

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26 thoughts on “ BOOK REVIEW: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare ”

Better still, go see a prodution of it!

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Thank you for visiting and liking my post today on writing a Haiku. I am delighted to see your blog – and I plan to read many of your reviews. This is a stellar FIND for me today – I took as many courses in Shakespeare as I could during my academic training – the classes always went to Stratford on Avon in Canada to see them in person. AWESOME plays. Awesome place to go.

I liked your book review! I had acted in a ‘Merchants of Venice’ play, and I was Nerissa.

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As a former long-time teacher of British Literature, your book review caught my attention. Thank you for the review and for stopping by my blog. 📚 😊

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It’s very dangerous to apply twenty-first century values to medieval writing. Remember at the time Shakespeare was writing women did not even appear on stage. My personal opinion is after sitting through several classes on various plays, we are probably better served by seeing any performance. As literature, I think they fall flat. In spite of glimmers of deathless prose. “Men now safely tucked in bed will rue the day & wish they were here….”

I agree, it’s always good to see plays acted although there is some evidence to suggest that playwrights wrote plays for the literate members of families to read aloud to their families.

Better than Cliff Notes, but nothing is like reading the words of the Bard. Be well, stay safe.

I agree that this play should be seen as satire of antisemitism; the sexism is however completely unconscious and routine for its time. The irony of seeing about playing a woman pretending to be a man should not be discounted. Thanks for drawing my attention to your very well written and thoughtful blog.

I like the Al Pacino film version of this play.

You might have a series here to be entitled “Shorts on Shakespeare”. Educational and entertaining -well done.

I saw a Royal Shakespeare Company version of this play set in modern day Las Vegas. A brilliant production that showed most of the charaters as feeling in control of their own destinies and yet it had a wonderfully ambiguous ending that still, over 10 years later, prompts me to think about what the play is saying.

Thank you for giving my blog a read! 😀 I just finished reading the review of Merchant of Venice by you. It is adequately well-explained. This reminded me of a skit I performed on one of a scene of this amazing play.!

Try Hamlet next. It’s amazing. I saw Rosencrantz and Guildenstern off Broadway years ago and was blown away. But you have to at least read Hamlet first. I took an entire class on Hamlet in college and was amazed how much I had missed merely by reading it one time. There is so much in every line in that play.

I’ve read it. One of his best, no doubt.

A very well written book review. It brings back memories of my university days when we studied Shakespeare. We adored those classes wherein our teacher used to read out the plays in a dramatic manner. I plan to read all your reviews. Thanks for connecting.

Thank you very much.

Nice review. I have often wondered whether the plot device around the pound of flesh (but no drop of blood) is an ironic reference to kosher meat. But I can’t remember ever reading any commentary on the Merchant of Venice which refers to this.

I studied this in college and today I am taking the same for tenth graders. I am so happy and fortunate to read your splendid review.

Great play choice, Portia’s is quick witted, her potency comes from her ability to make the law work for her – for a woman now it is often difficult, then virtually impossible, high five to that woman!

I studied this play for O levels. Portia is boss (hahaha). I still remember her speech: “Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh, but in the cutting of it…” etc.. From the island of Barbados which was parisitised by Christians, I always related more to Shylock. Ill-treatment can make anyone a Shylock and morality clearly doesn’t require religion. It requires empathy.

Thank you for this review. I certainly agree with you about Portia. Her quality of mercy is not strained.

I taught Merchant many times to high school kids. Shakespeare saw too deeply into the human character to be a racist. He gives Shylock a voice that can’t be ignored: his “hath not a Jew” speech testifies to this. Thanks for this post!

Your review made for entertaining reading but I try never to apply twenty-first century values to writing from a past century. This applies as much to the 19th and 20th, as to Shakespeare’s day. It’s enough to note the differences and then just read the play or book to engage with the ideas, something Shakespeare had in abundance. It was stimulating to read your take on the play.

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Book Reviews · August 6, 2021

Book Review: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

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If you like drama and a revenge plot, “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare is a great play to read!

• Date finished: January 29th, 2017
• Format: Paperback
• Language read in: English
• Series: Standalone
• Genre: Classics | Play | Drama

Buy “ The Merchant of Venice “

As the citizens of Venice compete for advantageous marriages, wealth, and status, a moneylender is intent on a deadly revenge. Mistrust and resentment thrive in Shakespeare’s dark comedy “The Merchant of Venice.”

I don’t know if my excitement to read this play had any impact on my reading of it… but even if it did… expectations usually lead to disappointments with rarely some exceptions of success. (Such is the case with The Merchant of Venice.)

The play starts and I already relate and sympathize with one of its main characters: Antonio. I highlighted some quotes about his indescribable sadness. He’s a great merchant and has a good nature with loaning money to honest men (and friends) in need without interest. Although he is a morally virtuous Christian there’s still a flaw in his view of Jewish people, which brings in themes of racial and religious injustices. Sure, his nemesis, a Jew named Shylock has no mercy and no good moral virtue. (FOR ME, NOT BECAUSE HE IS JEWISH BUT BECAUSE HE IS AN INTEREST RATE COLLECTOR / MONEYLENDER AND WANTS TO SHED ANTONIO’S INNOCENT BLOOD! for a deed he can and will be able to pay back in double anyways.)

I personally think that the plot of this play is more complex than Shakespeare’s other plays, which is always a plus. There were a lot of parallels and oppositions (seen in most of his plays but whatever) between the two female leads: Portia and Jessica. They’re both heirs from a rich father, seeking for a worthy husband to share their wealth with. One steals from her father’s casket and the other obeys the rules of her deceased father for marrying a man that opens the right casket of the three presented.

In this play, money and love seem to go hand in hand. On the one hand, there’s a state bond concerning a money lending contract between the merchant Antonio and the moneylender Shylock. On the other hand, there’s a marital bond formed through a ring between Bassanio and Portia, and her servant Nerissa with Gratiano. I’d also like to suggest a third bond with the friendship and sacrifices between Antonio and Bassanio.

Back to the females. Women in Shakespeare are, often than not, silenced or wrathful. In this case, both female characters were clever, strong, and deceptive. Jessica, for escaping her horrible father to marry the man she loves and Portia for disguising herself and conducting a genius plan to save her the life of her husband’s friend (Antonio) while making Jessica’s father have a taste of his own medicine (Shylock).

The resolution of the play was lacking but that’s a trend in Shakespeare’s plays. We are left with three happy couples but Antonio is still alone and single but is also saved and happy(?) Although Shylock deserved what he got, it does not change the fact that he did not deserve to convert his Jewish faith to a Christian one. Again, this is the most unfair and unresolved part of the play…

Overall, a great and enticing read with important themes and characters raised up for discussion in our modern-day world.

“Those we love never truly leave us, Harry. There are things that death cannot touch.” 

“In every shining moment of happiness is that drop of poison: the knowledge that pain will come again. Be honest to those you love, show your pain. To suffer is as human as to breathe.” 

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The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare – review

The Merchant of Venice, another one of the books I had to endure while doing my English Literature GCSE. I was already tired of Shakespeare, after having to do Much Ado About Nothing for Year 9 Sats. Of course the word "endure" makes it sound like it was a painful experience. I guess when being forced to read it and make notes on it, instead of just reading it and being able to interpret it in my mind was somewhat tough and annoying. Now though, I can look at the book and appreciate it for what it really is.

Racism, love, secrets and loans. The play strikes true to certain parts of the modern world as well as the time it was set and written. It is compelling that Shakespeare was able to write about such things in a way that fitted into the comical manner of the era. To a modern reader, it isn't so much comical but instead a tragedy and something that shows all the things that are wrong with the world.

Racism is wrong and shouldn't be tolerated at all. However, in the book it shows how those that face prejudice just let it happen and don't even try to stop or overcome it. At the start of the book it reads as if Shakespeare is also one of those racists by making Shylock look like the baddie. He appears somewhat like the modern banker. Willing to give money to anybody whether its against their policy or not and wanting it back at the exact time agreed or there are huge consequences. Shylock takes the chance to get the people that have constantly abused him back, but instead they are able to turn it against him because of the society they live in. While we acknowledge this is wrong as an onlooker, we forget to be grateful that our society is just a little better than presented. How much better it is, is somewhat questionable. There are those rogue bankers not caring about circumstance or rules because of their lack of compassion. There are still racists and people that let it carry on without caring. However, society is more balanced and accepting in general. Luckily.

The reason of the money borrowing pulls on the heartstrings somewhat. The money is wanted so that a guy can go see a girl to try and sway her heart. Of course, it isn't because he loves her but because he loves her money. At this point I'm starting to see a capitalist trend. Putting money before love and the feelings for people and trying to achieve a higher social status seems to be something done often in the society presented. Something I still see people doing around me right now, because they care more about physical objects than any sign of affection. So really, it pulls on the purse strings and to somebody that has more self-respect than to be a capitalist it makes them feel rather sick that all this pain, false actions of affection and putting aside the racism for five minutes just to get what is wanted come from the desire for money and gold.

While it is meant to be all about morals and explaining that trying to get at somebody is not a good thing to do because everybody ends up with tarnished reputations and opinions. When looking at it from an economic stance, however, it seems to be much more just a breeding ground for uncaring capitalists leading to the somewhat sad modern world.

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By William Shakespeare Probably written between 1595-1598

General Note: In January 2009 I decided that I�d like to go back and read all the plays of William Shakespeare, perhaps one a month if that works out. I hadn�t read a Shakespeare play since 1959, 50 years ago! But I had read nearly all of them in college. I wanted to go back, start with something not too serious or challenging, and work my way through the whole corpus. Thus I began with The Two Gentlemen of Verona. At this time I have no idea how the project will go, nor if it will actually lead me through the entire corpus of Shakespeare�s plays. However, I will keep a separate page listing each play I�ve read with links to any comments I would make of that particular play. See: List of Shakespeare�s play�s I�ve read and commented on

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

"I am a Jew/ Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs/ dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with/ the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject/ to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means/ warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer/ as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?/ If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you/ poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

�Even such a husband Hast thou of me as she is for a wife. [Jessica] Nay, but ask my opinion too of that. [Lorenzo] I will anon. First let us go to dinner. [Jessica] Nay, let me praise you while I have stomach. [Lorenzo] No, pray thee, let it serve for table talk; Then howsome�er thou speak�st, �mong other things I shall digest it. [Jessica] Well, I�ll set you forth.

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