The Merchant of Venice (Short Summary)

 

The play opens in the street of Venice. Antonio is sad but knows no reason for his sadness. His friend Bassanio asks him a loan to enable him to go to Belmont and try to win the hand of Portia. Antonio has no ready money. He sends him to a moneylender to take money on loan of on his behalf.

Then the play shifts to a room in Portia’s house in Belmont. According to the will of Portia’s father the young man who chooses the right casket out of three gold, silver, and lead—will win the hand of Portia. There are so many suitors and Portia is making comments on the character of some princely suitors already there. Now the scene shifts to a public place in Venice. Bassanio asks Shylock for a loan of three thousand ducats for three months. Shylock agrees to grant the loan if Antonio signs a bond of the penalty condition. The penalty is one pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. Antonio agrees and signs the bond.

Now the play shifts to a room in Portia’s house in Belmont. There are three main suitors to win the hand of Portia, Prince of Morocco chooses the golden casket and gets in it a death’s head. Prince of Arragon chooses the silver casket and gets a fool’s portrait in it. When Bassanio arrives and chooses the leaden casket. He gets Portia’s portrait in it. Thus Bassanio marries Portia and Gratiano marries Nerissa. Launcelot leaves the service of Shylock and Bassanio appoints him his servant. On the other hand, Jessica, the only daughter of Shylock, elopes with Lorenzo and takes away a lot of money and jewels of Shylock with her. Shylock had gone to a farewell feast of Bassanio and had given all the keys of his house to Jessica. The news of Jessica’s elopement has maddened Shylock with grief. Shylock gets the news that Antonio’s ships have sunk in the sea. The repayment time of the bond is about to end. So he decides to file a suit against Antonio and to demand a pound of flesh from his body.

At the time when Bassanio is to be married to Portia, he gets a letter from Antonio that he is in trouble and Shylock is adamant to take one pound of flesh from his body. Bassanio and Gratiano at once leaves for Venice with a lot of money.

Portia seeks advice from a great advocate Dr. Bellario to defend the case of Antonio. Portia and Nerissa, dressed as a lawyer and a clerk reach the court to defend Antonio. No plea and no appeal of mercy could move Shylock. Then Portia allowed Shylock to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body but without shedding a drop of blood or less or more flesh. The jew recoils and asks only for his money. Then, he is charged with plotting against the life of a citizen. But Duke pardoned him with three conditions (1) turn into a Christian, (2) give up usury, (3) all his estate will go to Lorenzo and Jessica after his death. He accepts the conditions with a broken heart. Then all are happy and make merry Antonio’s three ships are reported to be safe. Thus the jew got the right punishment for their cruelty. The play ends in a very happy atmosphere.