Read our short The Merchant of Venice summary to help you understand the play and characters. Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a much loved – and studied – play, set in Venice, Italy.
The main themes are justice, mercy, revenge, love, and friendship, and though much of the subject matter is rather dark, it is regarded as one of Shakespeare’s comedy plays.
Here’s a brief The Merchant of Venice summary:
A young Venetian, Bassanio, needs a loan of three thousand ducats so that he can woo Portia, a wealthy Venetian heiress. He approaches his friend Antonio, a merchant. Antonio is short of money because all his wealth is invested in his fleet, which is currently at sea. He goes to a Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who hates Antonio because of Antonio’s anti-semitic behaviour towards him.
Shylock nevertheless agrees to make the short-term loan, but, in a moment of dark humour, he makes a condition – the loan must be repaid in three months or Shylock will exact a pound of flesh from Antonio. Antonio agrees, confident that his ships will return in time.
Because of the terms of Portia’s father’s will, all suitors must choose from among three caskets, one of which contains a portrait of her. If he chooses that he may marry Portia, but if doesn’t he must vow never to marry or court another woman. The Princes of Morocco and Arragon fail the test and are rejected. As Bassanio prepares to travel to Belmont for the test, his friend Lorenzo elopes with Shylock’s daughter, Jessica. Bassanio chooses the lead casket, which contains her picture, and Portia happily agrees to marry him immediately.
Meanwhile, two of Antonio’s ships have been wrecked and Antonio’s creditors are pressuring him for repayment. Word comes to Bassanio about Antonio’s predicament, and he hurries back to Venice, leaving Portia behind. Portia follows him, accompanied by her maid, Nerissa. They are disguised as a male lawyer and his clerk. When Bassanio arrives the date for the repayment to Shylock has passed and Shylock is demanding his pound of flesh. Even when Bassanio offers much more than the amount in repayment, Shylock, now infuriated by the loss of his daughter, is intent on seeking revenge on the Christians. The Duke refuses to intervene.
Portia arrives in her disguise to defend Antonio. Given the authority of judgment by the Duke, Portia decides that Shylock can have the pound of flesh as long as he doesn’t draw blood, as it is against the law to shed a Christian’s blood. Since it is obvious that to draw a pound of flesh would kill Antonio, Shylock is denied his suit. Moreover, for conspiring to murder a Venetian citizen, Portia orders that he should forfeit all his wealth. Half is to go to Venice, and half to Antonio.
Antonio gives his half back to Shylock on the condition that Shylock bequeaths it to his disinherited daughter, Jessica. Shylock must also convert to Christianity. A broken Shylock accepts. News arrives that Antonio’s remaining ships have returned safely. With the exception of Shylock, all celebrate a happy ending to the affair.
And that is a very short summary of The Merchant of Venice! What do you think – anything unclear, or missing? Let us know in the comments section below.
Al Pacino as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (2004)
Thanks for helping me ☺️
Thank you so much for this help
this piece has been very helpful considering how difficult it is to read the text itself. I say thank you and God bless you
the title itself says No Sweat Shakespeare
It helped ,e in doing my home work
Thanks a lot for the Copy-paste Homework :D
It really helps me in completing my homework.
There was a part where Portia and Bassanio exchange rings…Nevertheless thank you for the help. : )
The lead casket is lead as in the metal and not lead as being in front.
Many of the parts in the play are missing!
Hey Nandita, this is a very brief summary :) Care to share which you feel are the significant parts that are missing?
The ring episode is missing