The Merchant Of Venice

A Good Friend

In the days when the city of Venice was rich and famous, one of the chief citizens there was a merchant named Antonio. He was a very rich man. He owned many valuable ships and traded with many different foreign countries. He was well known for his kindness, and had many friends. Amongst them was a young Venetian nobleman called Bassanio.

Although he was a nobleman, Bassanio was quite poor. He often spent more money than he had so he could live the way he liked. But Antonio loved him, and always lent him money when he needed it.

Bassanio was in love with a wealthy and noble young lady named Portia, whose father had just died. Portia was not only wealthy, she was beautiful and clever, too. Princes and noblemen were continually asking her to marry them. These men were able to show their wealth and rank by arriving at her house with many servants, and giving her expensive presents. Bassanio didn't have enough money to do this. He was afraid Portia would not consider marrying him because he was so much poorer than all the others.

So one day, Bassanio went to his friend Antonio to ask for his help. He told Antonio that Portia seemed to like him. Bassanio thought that if only he could go to visit her dressed in the finest clothes, with lots of servants, and with some beautiful presents for Portia, he might be successful. If Antonio would lend him enough money, Portia might agree to marry him. 'I am always willing to help you, Bassanio,' said Antonio, 'but I have no money to give you just now. I have used it all to trade with foreign countries. My ships are away at sea at the moment. However, I shall have plenty of money when they come back. Until then, I shall borrow some for you, from Shylock.

Shylock the Jew was well known in Venice. He was a moneylender, and he had become very wealthy. He loved making more and more money, but he hated spending it.

He was not popular in the city because he was so mean. People who could not pay back the money they owed him got no mercy from Shylock. Antonio had often made it clear to other people that he had no respect for Shylock, because of the way he treated those in debt to him. Antonio himself had many times lent money without asking for any interest, and this spoilt Shylock's business. For these reasons, Shylock hated Antonio, and he was waiting secretly for a chance to harm him.

Bassanio went with Antonio to see Shylock. Antonio asked to borrow 3,000 ducats- a very large amount of money. 'I shall be able to pay it back,' he said to Shylock, 'when my ships return to Venice. They are now at sea and will soon arrive home with many valuable cargoes. As you know, I never lend money for profit myself, or borrow it either, but because Bassanio is my great friend, I will do this for him.' At first, Shylock seemed unwilling to lend the money. He knew well that what Antonio had said was the truth. 'Your ships may be destroyed by storms before they reach Venice,' he said, 'and then you will be unable to repay me.'

Then he decided to offer Antonio a bargain. 'I am willing to be friends with you, and I will lend you this money for no profit at all. This will show you that I too can be kind and generous, in spite of what you have said about me. But I have an amusing idea, and I hope you will agree to it. If you cannot repay me in time, then you must let me cut a pound of your flesh from any part of your body I choose.'

Bassanio was suspicious of Shylock's intentions, and told Antonio not to accept this plan. But Antonio laughed, and agreed to the joke. Then the three men went to a lawyer to sign the agreement. Antonio took the money from Shylock and gave it to Bassanio, who got ready to visit Belmont, where Portia lived.

The Three Boxes

Portia's father had been very anxious that she should choose the best person to be her husband. Before he died, he invented a plan to help her to do this. He had three small metal boxes made. Each one was made of a different metal. The first box was made of gold, the second box of silver, and the third box of lead. One of these boxes contained a picture of Portia. Her father wished her to marry the first man to guess which box contained the picture. Each man must make a promise; if he guessed wrongly, he must never, after that, ask any woman to marry him. Portia felt she must be obedient to her father, even after his death. She was worried that a man she did not like would find the picture, but still she intended to do what her father had asked.

When they heard about this plan, many men did not dare to guess at all, and they went away. They were afraid to lose, because that would mean they would have to stay unmarried for the rest of their lives. This pleased Portia, for she had not liked any of the men who had come to see her. She told her servant, Nerissa, that they were all rather uninteresting, or had no sense of humour, or were always very cross.

One of the men who did dare to choose was a prince from Morocco. He chose the gold box. He thought that only a gold box would be good enough for Portia's picture. Also, there was some writing on the outside of the box. It said: "The man who chooses this box shall get what many men wish for.'

'Why, that means the lady,' the Prince said to himself. 'All the world desires her. They come from the four corners of the earth, across seas and deserts, just to look at the beautiful Portia. So, if I choose what many men wish for, that surely must mean her picture will be in this box.' But when he opened it, he found only a picture of a skull, to remind him of death, which is what many people wish for when they are old and sick and sad. The Prince was very unhappy.

The next man to guess was the Prince of Aragon from Spain. He did not choose the gold box because he thought the words 'many men' meant all the ordinary people in the world. The Prince of Aragon was a proud man. He would never want what everybody else wanted. Instead he chose the silver box. On the silver box these words were written: "The man who chooses this box will get what he deserves.' This seemed fair, thought the Prince. He knew that there were people coming to see Portia who were not as good as they seemed. Those people did not deserve to marry Portia. But he was not like them. He was the Prince of Aragon, a very important, rich young man, and he was sure he deserved a wife as good, beautiful and rich as Portia. The Prince was very hopeful when he opened the box. However, inside was not the beautiful picture of Portia that he expected, but the picture of a mad fool. He too went away disappointed.

Then Portia heard that Bassanio had arrived. He had brought with him a friend called Gratiano. Gratiano was in love with Nerissa, Portia's servant, and hoped to persuade Nerissa to marry him while Bassanio was asking Portia to be his wife.

When Bassanio appeared, Portia welcomed him very kindly. She was pleased he had come, as she wanted to marry him. She was very worried that he would choose the wrong box, as the others had done. Portia wanted to help him to find the right one, but she knew she must not. She asked Bassanio to wait some time before he chose, so that they could be together for a while. She knew if he made a mistake and chose the wrong box, they could never be married, and she would never see him again. But Bassanio would not wait; he was anxious to know what would happen. So he was shown the three boxes, of gold, silver, and lead.

Bassanio thought for a long time. Finally, he decided. Gold and silver looked precious and beautiful, but many things that were evil, or had no value, could be made to look precious and beautiful. Lead was a plain, ordinary metal. It did not pretend to be better than it was, he thought. It was honest. On the box these words were written: 'The man who chooses this box will be taking a great chance: he might lose everything he has.' That was honest, too, thought Bassanio. So, he chose the lead box.

Portia watched him make the right guess with delight. Bassanio opened the box, and inside it, he saw the picture of Portia. He turned to Portia, and saw that she was as pleased and as happy' as he was. She immediately told him that she loved him very much. She then took a ring off her finger and gave it to Bassanio. Portia said that he must never give the ring away; if he did, their love would end. Bassanio accepted the ring happily, and promised never to lose it or give it away. Thus Portia and Bassanio promised to be faithful to each other.

The Trial Of Antonio

Gratiano and Nerissa were in the room at the same time, and had been watching what was happening Gratiano now came forward and said he hoped Portia and Bassanio would be happy. He said that he and Nerissa I would like to be married at the same time. Portia and Bassanio were very pleased, and agreed at once.

But then something happened which worried them all a great deal. A messenger arrived with a letter for Bassanio from his friend Antonio, who had borrowed money from Shylock for him. Bassanio's face became pale as he read the letter. It contained very bad news. Portia quickly asked what had happened. And now, for the first time, Bassanio told her about the money that Antonio had given him. He told her too about Antonio's agreement with Shylock. In this letter, Antonio said that his ships had not come back to port; they had been wrecked at sea and all the valuable goods on them had been lost. Antonio had no money to pay back his debt to Shylock, and the date for him to do this had already passed. He would have to give Shylock a pound of his flesh. 'I am now certain to die, and want to see you,' Antonio wrote.

The messenger told them that Shylock had gone to the Duke of Venice to ask him to deal with the matter. Shylock wanted Antonio to pay him his pound of flesh immediately. And so poor Antonio was now in prison, waiting for his trial.

When Portia heard this terrible story, she wanted to help in any way she could. She offered to pay Shylock much more than the 3,000 ducats he was owed. She told Bassanio to go and help his friend as quickly as possible. However, Portia insisted on one thing: they must be married before Bassanio left Belmont. So all four of them Portia, Bassanio, Nerissa and Gratiano went at once to the church and were married. Bassanio and Gratiano then left their wives and went straight back to Venice.

Portia thought a great deal about the problem. She wanted to save Antonio's life, because he had been so generous to her husband, Bassanio. Finally, she wrote a letter to a cousin of hers, who was a well-known and clever lawyer. His name was Dr Bellario. She asked him for his advice, and she also asked him to lend her some lawyer's clothes. Dr. Bellario immediately sent her the clothes and told her how Antonio should be defended at his trial. Portia decided what she would do. She told her friends and servants that she was going away for a few quiet days until her husband returned. Then she told Nerissa about her plan. She had decided to go to Venice, and she wanted Nerissa to go with her. However, Portia did not want anyone to recognize her when she was there, so she and Nerissa dressed themselves up in men's clothes. They set off for Venice looking like two young men.

Bassanio and Gratiano arrived in Venice, where the trial would soon begin, under the direction of the Duke of Venice. Antonio and Shylock were brought before the Duke. The Duke asked Shylock to give up his cruel demand, and not to take a pound of Antonio's flesh. But Shylock would not agree. 'Antonio had made the and so he must keep it,' he said. Then Bassanio offered to pay Shylock twice as much money as he was owed. Still Shylock would not let Antonio go. 'The laws of Venice allow me to demand a flesh, because he has broken our agreement. I hate pound of Antonio's Antonio, and I will not be persuaded. I would rather have Antonio's flesh than any money I am offered.'Turning to the Duke, Shylock said, 'Will you permit me to do what I have a right to do, or have you no respect for the laws of Venice?'

The Young Lawyer

The Duke had to admit that the law did allow Shylock to refuse the money instead of Antonio's flesh. He liked Antonio, but did not dare to treat him differently from any other citizen. The law said that anyone who makes an agreement must keep it. If Shylock insisted, Antonio would have to die. Shylock did insist. He thought to himself, 'At last I shall be able to treat Antonio in the way he deserves. I do not pity him at all. This proud merchant always hated me and made others hate me too. I will not forgive him.'

The Duke had already written to a famous lawyer asking him to come to Venice to advise him about this difficult problem. The man to whom he had written was Dr Bellario Portia's cousin, who had shown her how Antonio could be defended. As Shylock would not show any mercy to Antonio, the Duke decided to wait for Dr Bellario. 'Perhaps this clever lawyer can find a way to save Antonio's life,' he thought.

Just as the Duke decided to do this, a clerk came in. He said he had brought a letter from Dr Bellario. In this letter, Dr Bellario wrote that he was ill, and would not be able to come to the trial. However, he asked if a young lawyer friend of his could come instead. The Duke agreed to do as Dr Bellario asked, and he invited the young lawyer to come in.

The clerk who brought the letter for the Duke was really Nerissa, dressed as a man. The young lawyer was really Portia, who was dressed in the lawyer's clothes that Dr Bellario had lent her. The Duke was surprised when he saw how young the lawyer was, but he asked him to defend Antonio.

Portia turned to Shylock and asked him to show mercy to Antonio. 'Mercy,' she said, 'rewards not only the man who receives it, but also the man who gives it. We pray to God, hoping he will show us mercy, and we should show mercy to other people.' But Shylock would not listen to her.

'I only ask to be paid what I am owed,' he said. 'Can he pay back the money you lent him?' asked Portia.

Bassanio quickly said, 'He can pay it, and he is willing to pay more. I can pay ten times as much for Antonio.' Bassanio begged the lawyer to forget about the exact words of the law, in order to save a life.

'No,' said Portia, 'I cannot allow that. If we do not insist that this man obeys the law now, other people may follow his bad example, and the whole country will suffer.'

Shylock was delighted when he heard this answer.

'Oh, what a wise young judge!' he cried happily. He expected the trial to end very soon. He praised the young lawyer and laughed at Antonio. Portia then asked to see the agreement Antonio and Shylock had signed. She read it, and agreed that Shylock could have his pound of flesh. Then Portia turned to Antonio and commanded him to uncover his chest. Shylock was ready to kill Antonio. He called out, 'Oh, noble judge!

Oh, wonderful young man!' Antonio thought he was going to die. He said goodbye to his friend Bassanio, and asked him to tell Portia why he had died. Bassanio was very unhappy, and he replied that he would give anything he had to save Antonio if he could. He would even be willing to 5 lose his own life to help Antonio.

'Now,' said Portia to Shylock, 'take the pound of flesh that is owed to you. Cut it from this man's chest.'

Shylock had his knife in his hand as he moved forward. He was ready to cut out Antonio's heart. 'Oh, wise judge! Oh, wise young judge!' he cried. To Antonio he cried, 'Prepare yourself!'

Shylock Is Defeated

Before he could use his knife to make even the smallest cut in Antonio's skin, Portia stopped him.

'Wait!' she said. 'I have something else to say. The words of this agreement say clearly that you may take "a pound of flesh". But there is nothing in it to say that you may take even one drop of blood. Antonio's flesh you may take, but if you spill a single drop of blood, then all your property must be given to the State. That is the law of Venice. Shylock stood completely still. He was so surprised and annoyed he could hardly speak. 'Is what the law commands?' he asked. Portia offered to show him the law on the subject. Gratiano could see how Shylock was, and now he cried out, 'Oh, wise judge! See, Shylock, what a wise judge he is!' angry.

Shylock then remembered that Bassanio had offered to pay back the money, and even to pay him more. 'I will accept your offer,' he said to Bassanio. 'Pay back three times as much as I lent Antonio, and then I will let him go.'

'Here it is,' said Bassanio, holding out the money. But Portia would not allow this. A little while ago, Shylock had refused the money, so now he should have nothing, she said.

Shylock, very angry, was about to leave, when Portia called him back. 'Wait!' she said. "There is another law we must remember. If anyone plans to kill a citizen of Venice, half his property must be given to that citizen. The other half must be given to the State. And the Duke may order any other punishment he thinks is right. Kneel in front of him and pray for mercy.'

Shylock had so recently refused mercy to Antonio that he could not now expect mercy for himself. But the Duke was not as cruel as the moneylender.

I will show you that men can be much kinder to each other than you think. You will not lose will tell you this even before you ask me to save you. your life; I But you must give half your money and property to Antonio, and half to the State.'

And now Antonio showed mercy moneylender. 'I will not take my share of Shylock's wealth. But he must become a Christian,' he said. to the

Shylock was also forced to sign a will. This will say that Jessica, his daughter, and Lorenzo, her husband, should receive all of Shylock's money when he died. Lorenzo was a good friend of Antonio's. Not long ago, Jessica had run away from her father and secretly married Lorenzo, a Christian. She had taken some money and jewels with her when she left home, and Shylock had been very angry. At first he could only shout, 'My daughter! Oh, my money! Oh, my daughter! She has run away with a Christian! How can the law help me now? Oh, my money, my daughter!' Shylock seemed to be just as worried about his money as he was about his daughter. The moneylender had said that he would not leave Jessica any money when he died, and he would never forgive her.

The Jew now knew that he must obey Portia's and Antonio's commands. 'I am ill,' he cried. 'Let me go home. Send the agreement to my house. I will sign it.' So the Duke let Shylock go, and the trial ended.

Portia's Trick

During the trial, everyone had been very surprised to see how young and wise the lawyer was. But no one had suspected that the lawyer was really Portia. Even Bassanio had not guessed. Portia had changed her appearance and voice so cleverly that her own husband could not recognize her.

Bassanio and Antonio wanted to show the young lawyer that they were very grateful for his help. 'Please accept the 3,000 ducats owed to Shylock,' Antonio said. But Portia would not accept the money. Bassanio was also very anxious to give the lawyer something. So Portia thought she would trick her husband, for a joke. 'If you insist, give me your gloves,' she told Bassanio. Bassanio took off his gloves, showing the ring on his hand. 'As a sign of your thankfulness, give me that ring on your finger.' Bassanio immediately drew his hand away. This ring was the one Portia had given him when she promised to marry him. He had promised never to give it away. He pretended that the ring had no value, and was too small to give as a present. But Portia asked for it again. Bassanio then told her it was his wife's ring, and she had made him promise never to give it away.

"That is a common excuse,' replied Portia. "That is what men say when they do not want to give a present. Your wife will not be angry with you for long. You can tell her how much I deserved the ring.'

Portia and Nerissa, still dressed as a lawyer and a clerk, turned to go. Almost immediately, Antonio persuaded Bassanio to give up the ring. Bassanio felt ashamed to seem ungrateful, so he gave it to Portia. Nerissa also cleverly managed to persuade Gratiano to give her the ring that she had given to him. He too had promised never to give it away.

Portia and Nerissa left Venice, and went as quickly as possible to Belmont. They wanted to get there before their husbands returned. When they got back to Portia's house, they changed their clothes at once. Soon they were sitting down, dressed in their ordinary clothes, waiting for their husbands to come back to them. Not long after, the two men arrived, with Antonio. Bassanio introduced Antonio to his wife. 'This is the friend,' he told her, 'who has helped me so much.' So Portia welcomed Antonio to her house.

While she was doing this, she saw Gratiano and Nerissa quarrelling in a corner of the room. 'What is happening?' cried Portia. 'Are you quarrelling already? What is the matter?'

'We are arguing about a ring which Nerissa gave me, Gratiano explained. "The ring had these words written on it: "Love me and never leave me".

'I am annoyed because Gratiano promised faithfully that he would keep it,' Nerissa said, 'and now he has given it away to a lawyer's clerk. It does not matter whether it was a valuable ring or not. He should not have given it away.'

Everything Is Put Right Again

Portia was now determined to enjoy the trick she had played on her husband. 'Of course Gratiano was wrong to give away his wife's first present. I, too, gave my husband a ring, and made him promise to keep it. If he gave that ring away, I would be very angry with him indeed.'

Then Gratiano replied, 'But Bassanio did give his ring away - he gave it to the young lawyer who asked for it. And then the boy, his clerk, asked me for my ring.'

When she heard this, Portia pretended to be very angry. She asked Bassanio, 'Which ring did you give him? I hope it was not the ring that you accepted from me.'

Bassanio felt very unhappy when he saw how angry his wife was. But he had to admit the truth, and tell her that he had given the ring away. 'I wish you knew how unwilling I was to give the ring to this man, and why I gave it to him.'

But Portia still pretended to be angry. She accused him of giving the ring to a woman. Bassanio thought Portia must think he was very unkind. He told her he had given the lawyer the ring because he was so grateful to him for saving Antonio's life. 'If you had been there,' he said, 'I think you would have told me to give him the ring.'

Then Antonio turned to Portia and said, "These unhappy quarrels have all been caused by me!” Do not treat this matter so seriously,' replied Portia. She took the ring from her bag and said, 'Give him this ring, and tell him to keep it better than he kept the last one.'

Antonio passed the ring to Bassanio, who looked at it. He was surprised to see that it was the one he had given away. Portia then showed her husband the letter from Dr Bellario, and so he discovered that the clever lawyer was really Portia, his wife. Bassanio realized that his own wife's courage and cleverness had saved the life of his dear friend Antonio. He was surprised and delighted.

Soon afterwards, Antonio received good news about his own affairs. Portia handed him some letters which had just arrived. These told Antonio that the ships which he thought were lost had returned to Venice, and had brought back their valuable cargoes. Antonio was a wealthy man again.

Thus the story of the Merchant of Venice ended with good news for the merchant, and with laughter between the husbands and wives over the joke about the rings.