Antonio, the merchant in The Merchant of Venice,
secures a loan from Shylock for his friend Bassanio, who seeks to court Portia.
Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, recalls past insults from Antonio and, instead
of asking interest on the loan, asks instead—in what he calls a "merry
sport"—that if the loan is not repaid, Antonio will owe a pound of his own
flesh.
Bassanio sails to Belmont, where the wealthy
heiress Portia is being courted by suitors from around the world. Her father's
will requires that the successful suitor solve a riddle involving chests of
gold, silver, and lead. Where others have failed, Bassanio succeeds by
selecting the right chest. Portia marries Bassanio; her waiting woman, Nerissa,
marries his friend Gratiano.
Shylock's daughter, Jessica, has eloped with
Bassanio's friend Lorenzo, taking her father’s money with her. Shylock is
devastated. When Antonio cannot repay the loan, Shylock demands the pound of
flesh. When the news reaches Belmont, Bassanio returns to Venice. Portia and
Nerissa also travel to Venice, disguised as a lawyer and his clerk. Portia uses
the law to defeat Shylock and rescue Antonio.
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