Merchant of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

Antonio, a Venetian merchant, complains of melancholy his friend Bassanio asks for a loan to travel to Belmont to court the beautiful heiress, Portia. Antonio agrees, but says that he must borrow the money from one of the citys moneylenders because all of his ships are at sea. At Belmont, Portia is also melancholy because, according to the terms of her fathers will, she must marry the humans who chooses the shut in (out of a prime(prenominal) of gold, silver or lead) containing her portrait. If he chooses wrongly, he is condemned to remain unmarried forever.Antonio approaches moneylender, a Jewish moneylender, to ask for a loan. Shylock hates Antonio and tricks him into hopeful to forfeit a pound of flesh if he cannot pay in time. Shylocks daughter Jessica elopes with the Christian gentleman Lorenzo. Bassanio, accompanied by friend Gratiano, departs for Belmont. The Prince of Morocco comes to Belmont and chooses the wrong casket meanwhile, in Venice, rumors swirl that Antonios sh ips have been lost at sea. The Prince of Arragon also chooses the wrong casket, and then Bassanio arrives at Portias house. He and Portia fall in love, and he makes the correct choice (the lead casket), but their happiness (and that of Gratiano, who will marry Portias lady-in-waiting, Nerissa) is interrupted by news that Antonio has lost all his money and failed to pay the debt, and Shylock is demanding his pound of flesh.In Venice, Antonio is taunted by Shylock, who refuses to listen to reason. Portia disguises herself as a man and secretly follows Bassanio to Venice. The Duke of Venice presides over the trial. When Shylock refuses to accept Bassanios offer to repay the loan, the Duke announces that he has called on a sub judice expert to settle the matter. A letter arrives from the expert, saying that he has sent one of his brightest pupils to pass judgment--the pupil is Portia, who arrives dressed as a young lawyer. She reads the contract, and declares that Shylock is entitled t o the flesh. The moneylender praises her, but Portia then adds that the contract says nothing about shedding blood, so Shylock must cut the flesh without making Antonio run away or else be arrested for shedding a Christians blood. Shylock angrily retreats and says that he will take Bassanios money, but Portia denies him even this, declaring that he has conspired against a Venetian citizens flavour and thus his own life is forfeit.