Antonio,
the merchant of Venice, lends three thousand ducats to his friend
Bassanio in order to assist him in his wooing of the wealthy and
beautiful Portia of Belmont, an estate some distance from Venice. But
Antonio's own money is tied up in business ventures that depend on
the safe return of his ships from sea, so he borrows the money from
Shylock, a Jewish moneylender whom he has previously insulted for his
high rates of interest. Shylock lends the money against a bond
whereby failure to repay the loan on the agreed date will entitle
Shylock to a pound of Antonio's flesh. Portia's father has decreed
that she will marry whichever suitor makes the correct choice when
presented with three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead. Where
wealthy suitors from Morocco and Aragon fail, Bassanio succeeds by
choosing lead. His friend Gratiano marries Portia's lady-in-waiting
Nerissa at the same time. News arrives that Antonio's ships have been
lost; he is unable to pay his debt. Shylock's claim to his pound of
flesh is heard in the law court before the duke. Unknown to their
husbands, Portia disguises herself as a young male lawyer acting on
behalf of Antonio, Nerissa as a clerk. Portia's ingenious defence is
that Shylock is entitled to his pound of flesh but not to spill any
of Antonio's blood; she argues that the Jew should forfeit his life
for having conspired against the life of a Venetian. The duke pardons
Shylock on condition that he gives half his wealth to Antonio and
half to the state. Antonio surrenders his claim on condition that
Shylock converts to Christianity and leaves his property to his
daughter Jessica, whom he has disinherited for running away with her
Christian lover Lorenzo. Portia and Nerissa then assert their power
over Bassanio and Gratiano by means of a trick involving rings that
the men have promised never to part with. Finally there is good news
about Antonio's ships.
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