Merchant Of Venice-A Good Friend

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.