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.
it was fine
I get you
Helped me revise (a lot). A very quick and easy summary to read and learn the book from. It is nosweatShakespeare after all. Thanks a lot guys!!!
It was so easy to have a quick summary before going in to my exam hall. Hail to nosweatshakespeare. It is you hereafter in every last minute exams.
relatable.
Ya true lmao
It was great but i suggest that u should have a glossary for certian difficult words which are less than few…..anyways was of a great help
I like the story of Williams Shakespeare because its make you to learn and get idea.
Obviously reading has not helped your punctuation. Spelling for dummies?
helped me a lot foe completing my project works.
a very helpful summary, thank you
Starting could be different
NICE HELP FULL ;BUT SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE DETAILED
Could have been more clearly narrated .. anyways of great help ..thx