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Summary Of Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare
Summary of Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice Summary by William Shakespeare About the Author
William Shakespeare was bom on 26th April, 1564. He was the son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. He was bom and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway and they had three children.
William Shakespeare was an English poet and a playwright. He is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems. His plays are divided into four main categories: comedies, tragedies, histories and romances. His characters were always fresh and life-like.
The Merchant of Venice Summary by William Shakespeare About the Play
“The Merchant of Venice” written by the great Elizabethan dramatist, William Shakespeare, between 1596 and 1598, is a comedy exploring the themes of love, money, prejudice and social injustice.
The play is classified as the comedy, because it shares the basic elements typical of all Shakespeare’s comedies. However, in words of Nicholas Rose, “There appears in [The Merchant of Venice] such a deadly spirit of revenge, such a savage fierceness and fellness, and such a bloody designation of cruelty and mischief, as cannot agree either with the style or characters of comedy.”
Bassanio, a noble but penniless Venetian, asks his wealthy merchant friend Antonio for a loan so that Bassanio can undertake a journey to woo the heiress, Portia. Antonio, whose money is invested in foreign ventures, borrows the sum from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, on the condition that, if the loan cannot be repaid in time, Antonio will forfeit a pound of flesh.
Antonio is reluctant to do business with Shylock, whom he despises for lending money at interest unlike Antonio himself, who lends money without charging any interest; Antonio considers that lending at interest violates the very spirit of Christianity. Nevertheless, he needs Shylock’s money in order to be able to assist Bassanio.
Bassanio goes to Belmont and is able to successfully fulfil the terms of Portia’s father’s will’ by selecting from three caskets the one that contains her portrait. Two previous wooers, the Princes of Morocco and Arragon, have failed the casket test by choosing “what many men desire” or “what the chooser thinks he deserves”; Bassanio knows that he must paradoxically “give and hazard all he hath” to win the lady.
Bassanio and Portia marry; news arrives that Antonio’s ships have been lost at sea. Unable to collect all his loan, Shylock attempts to use the signed bond to enforce a terrible, murderous revenge on Antonio: he demands his pound of flesh.
Part of Shylock’s desire for vengeance is motivated by the way in which the Christians of the play have conspired together to enable his daughter Jessica to elope from his house, taking with her a substantial portion of his wealth, in order to become the bride of the Christian Lorenzo.
Shylock’s revengeful plan is foiled by Portia, who disguised as a lawyer, turns the tables on Shylock by a legal quibble: he must take flesh only, and Shylock must die if any blood is spilled. Thus, the contract is cancelled, and Shylock is ordered to give half of his estatet to Antonio, who agrees not to take the money if Shylock converts to Christianity and restores his disinherited daughter to his will. Shylock has little choice but to agree. The play ends with the news that some of Antonio’s ships have arrived safely.
The character of Shylock has been the subject of modern scholarly debate over whether the playwright displays anti-Semitism or religious tolerance in his characterization, for, despite his stereotypical depiction as a shrewd and greedy moneylender, Shylock is depicted as understandably full of hate, having been both verbally and physically abused by Christians, and he is given one of Shakespeare’s most eloquent speeches (“Hath not a Jew eyes?…”).
Shylock is the embodiment of justice. His nature knows no mercy as none is ever shown to him. In business and religion, Shylock is under a ban. The object of centuries of injustice and abuse, he is the very incarnation of hatred. He holds rigidly to the law, for the reason that it is all the protection he has, and for the further reason that his religion is one of stern obedience to form. He would murder Antonio, legally, because Antonio stands for all that he hates, and personally, because of Antonio’s ill-treatment of himself.
Shylock is no stupid, brutal, miserly thief. Shakespeare has made him the mouthpiece for rallying against the anti-christian traits of those who proclaim themselves to be Christians.
Meanwhile, Shakespeare seems in Portia to have realized his best conception of womankind. There is in her a sweetness and dignity and tenderness that characterizes her as belonging to the highest type of womanhood. Wherever she moves there emanates, the grace of one “to the manor born,” the embodiment of wealth and luxurious elegance. Added to these is a fine intelligence. Self-reliance, wit, clear judgment, penetration, firmness, hopefulness and mercy, combine in her to form a superior character. Because she typifies the true wife, all Bassanio’s interests are hers, and she undertakes the most daring and difficult task to liberate Antonio.
The Merchant of Venice Summary
Antonio, a leading merchant of Venice, is a wealthy, respected, and popular man. Among his many friends is a young man named Bassanio, who owes Antonio a good deal of money. Bassanio would like to repay his friend, but so far he has been unable to do so. However, he now feels that he may have find a way — but he will again need a loan from Antonio.
In Belmont, Bassanio tells Antonio, there lives a beautiful, young and wealthy heiress. Bassanio feels sure that he can win her hand in marriage, but he cannot go courting “hands-hanging.” If he is to make a good impression, he has to appear at least as well off as her other wealthy suitors.
Antonio tells his young friend that he would gladly lend him whatever amount of money he needs, but at the present time he himself is short of cash. All of his money is tied up in his merchant ships, which are still at sea. However, Antonio will not disappoint Bassanio. He knows of a moneylender who will probably lend him the necessary amount, and Bassanio can use Antonio’s good name as security for the loan.
At Belmont, Portia speaks to Nerissa, her confidante, telling her how tired she is of the constant stream of suitors, and how she wishes to be free of the perverse obligation of her father’s will: Portia cannot choose her own husband; she can marry only the man who chooses the correct one of three caskets — one gold, one silver, and one lead; one contains her portrait and that one is the lucky casket. So far, none of her suitors has decided to risk choosing one of the caskets, which is all for the good, because Portia has no liking for anyone of them. However, when Nerissa mentions the name of Bassanio, a possible suitor, Portia’s mood brightens. He, one once met a visitor at Belmont, and Portia, was impressed with him.
Meanwhile in Venice, Shylock, a rich Jewish moneylender who harbours a secret hatred for Antonio, has agreed to lend Bassanio three thousand ducats for three months, on Antonio’s bond. Foregoing his usual high interest rate, Shylock demands instead, that if the day for payment falls due and the money is not returned, he may cut off one pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. Antonio agrees, because all of his ships are due back in Venice a full month before the bond falls due.
A romantic subplot develops when Lorenzo, a close friend of Antonio and Bassanio, falls in love with Shylock’s daughter, Jessica. He manages to elope with her by disguising as a boy, and she manages to take with her a goodly amount of her father’s ducats.
Of course, this infuriates Shylock, and he vows revenge. Shortly thereafter, Bassanio and Gratiano leave for Belmont, where the “fair Portia” has just sent away the Prince of Morocco and the Prince of Arragon, two more disappointed, unsuccessful suitors.
When Bassanio asks to choose one of the caskets, Portia falls immediately in love with him, and she begs him to wait a few days before choosing one of the caskets. He has fallen in love with Portia and insists on taking his chances. He rejects the gold one, then the silver one; he chooses, finally, the lead casket, and on opening it, he finds a portrait of Portia. Both, he and Portia, are overjoyed, and they make plans to be married at once, along with Nerissa and Gratiano, who have also fallen in love. Happiness reigns in Belmont until Bassanio is brought a letter from Antonio bidding him farewell since his ships have been lost at sea and, since it is impossible that he will live after Shylock collects his pound of flesh. Horrified, Bassanio leaves instantly for Venice with money which Portia gives him to pay the bond.
In Venice, Shylock is no longer interested in the mere payment of the money due to him. He wants revenge. A Christian stole his daughter (and she took his money), and nothing will satisfy Shylock except the legal fulfilment of the bond. In the court of justice, presided over by the Duke of Venice, Shylock faces his enemy, Antonio. Antonio is surrounded by his friends and is quietly resigned to death. On all sides, Shylock is surrounded by enemies. Bassanio pleads with Shf lock to accept double the money due to him, but Shylock refuses.
At this point, Portia, disguised as a lawyer, and Nerissa, dressed as her law clerk, enter the court and tell the Duke that they have been sent from Padua by a learned attorney, Doctor Bellario, to plead the defendant’s case. Portia entreats Shylock to be merciful, but he will not listen. She offers the moneylender triple the amount owed to him, but again Shylock will have none of it. She then solemnly informs the court that Shylock is entirely within his lawful rights.
She then informs Shylock that he must be very careful. He must cutoff exactly one pound of flesh, and he must not spill one drop of Antonio’s blood. If he fails, all of Shylock’s lands and goods will be confiscated. Shylock hastily decides that he will accept the triple payment of the bond, but Portia says no; Shylock then offers to take only the original three thousand ducats, but again Portia refuses, reminding him that it was he himself who demanded-the strict interpretation of the law. Furthermore, she says, the law has another hold on him. Since he is an alien in Venice and since he tried to “seek the life” of a Venetian citizen, all his wealth can be divided between the citizen whom he attempted to destroy and the public treasury; in addition, Shylock’s own life is in peril because of what he attempted to do.
The Duke decides to spare Shylock’s life, but he does give half of Shylock’s money to Antonio, and he gives the rest of it to the State. Antonio says that he will not accept the money if Shylock will agree to become a Christian and if, in his will, he will agree to leave his money to his daughter, Jessica, and her new husband, Lorenzo. Shylock, broken and defeated, agrees to all these conditions and leaves the court.
Overjoyed, Antonio and his friends offer to pay the young lawyer whatever they can, but, oddly enough, the lawyer wishes only a certain ring which Bassanio is wearing. Bassanio is embarrassed because his wife gave this ring to him and asked him to wear it always. But the lawyer insists and, finally, Bassanio reluctantly gives away Portia’s ring. Nerissa likewise, cleverly manages to get from Gratiano a ring she gave him. Tie two ladies then hasten back to Belmont to tease their husbands about the rings.
When Bassanio and Gratiano, along with Antonio, return to Belmont, their wives inquire about missing rings. Portia and Nerissa insist that the men, no doubt gave the rings away to two other women. The husbands swear that it is not true, and it is not until Portia and Nerissa have put their husbands through some long, comically agonizing moments of discomfort that they confess that they themselves were the “learned doctor” and the “clerk” to whom the rings were given. Thus, all ends happily, as Portia gives Antonio a letter informing him that three of his ships have arrived safely in port.
The Merchant of Venice Summary Major Characters
Shylock
Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice who has been embittered by years of abuse at the hands of Venetian Christians and Antonio, the merchant, in particular. Shylock’s anger and bitterness lead him to sign a contract with Antonio, in which Antonio puts up a pound of his own flesh as collateral for a loan. When Antonio can’t cover his loan, Shylock refuses to show any mercy and insists that the law be upheld and that he get to take his pound of flesh. The other characters, including Shylock’s own daughter, Jessica, consider him to be inhuman— bestial or demonic. However, their treatment of Shylock helps illuminate the prejudice and hypocrisy that lies behind many of their stated ideals of human brotherhood and Christian fellowship.
Antonio
Antonio is a prosperous Venetian merchant, liked and admired by his fellow citizens. To help his friend Bassanio woo Portia’, Antonio signs a contract with Shylock, guaranteeing a loan with one pound of his own flesh as collateral. Many critics argue that Antonio harbours an unrequited erotic desire for Bassanio. In contrast to the benevolence that he shows others, Antonio expresses an intense hatred for Shylock and the Jews, though at the end of the play he does agree that Shylock should be shown mercy and not be condemned to death.
Portia
Portia is a beautiful, clever, and wealthy noble woman who lives at a country estate in Belmont, outside Venice. Portia is bound by a clause in her father’s will, which obligates her to marry whoever solves the so-called riddle of the caskets, by choosing the correct chest from, one of gold, one of silver, and one of lead. After despairing over a parade of suitors whom she finds distasteful, Portia does get to marry her true love, Bassanio, who happily makes the correct choice. She also saves Antonio’s life, during his trial with Shylock, dressed up as a lawyer named Balthazar. For centuries, Portia was admired as an ideal of feminine virtue. However, many modern critics have pointed out that Portia, though seemingly a genius and a perfect wife, regularly displays a vicious prejudice toward non-Christians and foreigners.
Bassanio
Bassanio is a nobleman from Venice, who is a kinsman, close friend, and long-time debtor of the merchant, Antonio. Because he wants to woo the noble Portia, but cannot afford to do so, Bassanio borrows 3000 ducats from Shylock, with Antonio as his guarantor. His status as Portia’s suitor and, later, her husband, makes Bassanio, the romantic hero of the play. However, his character is deeply flawed. At best clueless, and at worst consciously selfish and manipulative, he always manages to avoid earning his own way : first, he exploits the generosity of his friend Antonio, and then he freely passes on the money and gifts that Portia gives him.
The Merchant of Venice Summary Minor Characters
Gratiano – is a notoriously vulgar Venetian and friend of Bassanio. While Bassanio courts Portia, Gratiano falls in love with Nerissa and eventually marries her.
Jessica – is Shylock’s daughter, who moves from merely disdaining her father to actually robbing him, eloping with a Christian Venetian, Lorenzo, and converting to Christianity.
Lorenzo – is a Venetian and friend of Bassanio and Antonio, who is in love with Shylock’s daughter Jessica. Lorenzo elopes with Jessica, taking money and precious items that she has stolen from her father.
Nerissa – is Portia’s servant and confidante, Nerissa ultimately marries Bassanio’s companion, Gratiano. Launcelot Gobbo – is a clownish servant, who leaves Shylock in order to work for Bassanio.
Salerio – is a Venetian nobleman, friendly with Antonio, Bassanio, Gratiano, and Lorenzo.
Solanio – is a Venetian nobleman and who is also a good friend of Salerio.
Prince of Morocco – is a Moorish prince who comes to woo Portia at Belmont. He asks Portia not to judge him by the colour of his skin, but incorrectly picks the gold casket.
Prince of Arragon – is a Spanish nobleman who woos Portia at Belmont. He incorrectly picks the silver casket. Duke of Venice – presides over the trial of Antonio. Though the Duke attempts to persuade Shylock to show Antonio mercy, he knows that Venice’s commercial interests depend on a consistent application of its laws, so he can’t make an exception to help Antonio.
Old Gobbo – is Launcelot’s blind father.
Tubal – is a Jew in Venice, and Shylock’s sole friend and confidante during the course of the play.
Doctor Bellario – is Portia’s cousin and a well-respected lawyer in Padua. He never appears on stage.
Balthazar – is the servant Portia sends to obtain her letters of introduction and costume from Bellario. Balthazar is also the name Portia takes when she impersonates a lawyer at court.