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 beauteous heiress, Portia. Antonio agrees, but says that he must borrow the money from one of the citys moneylenders because exclusively of his ships are at sea. At Belmont, Portia is also melancholy because, according to the legal injury of her fathers will, she must marry the man who chooses the casket (out of a choice of gold, argent or melt down) containing her portrait. If he chooses wrongly, he is condemned to remain unmarried forever.Antonio approaches Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to ask for a loan. Shylock hates Antonio and tricks him into promising to forfeit a ram of flesh if he cannot pay in time. Shylocks daughter Jessica elopes with the Christian valet de chambre 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 whirlpool that Antonios ships 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 show 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 oer the trial. When Shylock refuses to accept Bassanios offer to repay the loan, the Duke announces that he has called on a legal 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 ingest, and declares that Shylock is entitled to the flesh. The moneylender praises her, but Portia then adds that the contract says nothing about shedding blood, so Shylock must get along the flesh without making Antonio bleed or else be arrested for shedding a Christians blood. Shylock angrily retreats and says that he will take Bassanios money, but Portia denies him scour this, declaring that he has conspired against a Venetian citizens bearing and thus his own life is forfeit.