Merchant of Venice, The

Merchant of Venice, The, tragicomedy written by William Shakespeare c. 1594-1598.

Bassanio asks for a loan from his friend, Antonio, to help him woo the rich heiress Portia. They go to the Jewish moneylender Shylock, despite Antonio’s contempt for Jews. Shylock offers the loan interest-free for three months, but asks for a pound of flesh as security. Antonio agrees.

Portia is to marry the suitor who correctly chooses from three caskets (gold, silver, and lead) the one which contains her picture; the suitor who chooses wrongly must pledge he will never marry. The princes of Morocco and Aragon seek Portia’s hand. Morocco wishes to “gain what many men desire” (gold); Aragon selects “as much as he deserves” (silver); but Bassanio decides to “give and hazard all he hath” (lead)—and finds the portrait.

Meanwhile, Antonio has been bankrupted, all his money invested in a wrecked ship. Deserted by his daughter and his servant, Shylock vows he will be revenged and demands his pound of flesh from Antonio. Portia offers to pay Antonio’s debt, but Shylock refuses. Pretending to be a lawyer, she awards Shylock his pound of flesh on condition he take it without drawing blood; he is accused of attempted murder, and half his possessions are confiscated.