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Antonio, The merchant, is distressed
The merchant is depressed and worried for his enterprise because his ships might be lost forever due to being lost at sea or looted by pirates -
ACT I
start of the play -
Bassanio borrows money for marrige
Bassanio an young poor man has owed antonio money for years yet never repayed and is asking for more so he can marry Portia -
Portia looks for suitable suitor for marrige
Portia is very picky about choosing a husband and rejected all of her previous suitors before. Portia's father comes up with a plan to choose Portia's husband with three caskets. A gold casket, a silver casket, and a lead casket with a picture of Portia. If one suitor could pick the lead casket then Portia's father would know the man is right for her daughter. -
ACT II
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Bassanio recieves his money from Antonio
Bassanio gets his loan of three thousand ducats from a Jewish merchant named Shylock. The price for not paying the debt back is high, namely a pound of flesh from Antonio, but Antonio is not worried. His ships (and wealth) come back a month before the debt is due... -
Launcelot Gobbo becomes Bassanio's new servant
Launcelot Gobbo, Shylock's servant has a problem; he hates his boss. Bassanio arrives and after some conversation, Launcelot becomes Bassanio's new servant. -
Jessica, Shylocks daughter, and Lorenzo looks for marrige against her father's wishes
Jessica escapes from her father's house to live a new life as a Christian and as the wife of Lorenzo. Jessica disguises herself as a boy to escape from her father. Instead of attending the already cancelled masque (masked ball) Lorenzo and Jessica are to sail with Bassanio instead of attending the masque... -
Portia is approached by two potential suitors
One of them prince of morroco believes the gold casket reflects her beauty and grace is incorrect.
The prince of Arrogon is an Arrogant spanish prince that believes the silver casket is the correct one but is also incorrect -
Shylock is furious at his daughter
Shylock, upon discovering that his daughter has run away with a lot of his money, blames Antonio for helping her escape. At the same time there are rumors developing in Venice that many of Antonio's ships, with which he expected to repay Shylock for the loan, have sunk or been lost at sea. Shylock begins to revel in the news that Antonio is losing everything because he wants to exact his pound of flesh in revenge for the many insults Antonio has dealt him throughout the years. -
Bassanio and Portia are to be married
Bassanio arrives in Belmont and meets Portia. She remembers him as the dashing soldier with whom she fell in love several years earlier. Portia begs Bassanio to wait before choosing among the caskets, but he demands the right to start immediately. Without even properly reading the inscriptions, Bassanio selects the lead one because he considers it a threatening casket. Portia is overjoyed when he finds her portrait inside. She gives him a ring to seal their engagement and they prepare to get mar -
Antonio lost all of his ships and now must forfeit a pound of flesh
A messenger arrives and hands Bassanio a letter from Antonio in which he informs Bassanio that he has lost all his money and must forfeit a pound of flesh to Shylock. Bassanio immediately tells Portia what has happened. She orders him to take six thousand ducats and return to Venice where he can pay Shylock and cancel the contract. After Bassanio and Graziano have left, Nerissa and Portia depart for Venice disguised as men. -
The case. Antonio vs Shylock begins. Antonio needs a lawyer
Shylock has Antonio arrested and brought before the Duke of Venice, who presides over a court of justice. The Duke pleads with Shylock to forgive the contract and let Antonio go free. When he refuses, the Duke asks him how he expects any mercy if he is unable to offer it. The Duke then tells the gathered men that he is waiting for a doctor of the law to arrive. -
Portia poses as a lawyer. Doctor Balthasar
Nerissa enters the court and hands a letter to the Duke which notifies him that a Doctor Bellario has sent an educated young doctor in his place. Portia arrives disguised as the Doctor Balthasar. She first asks Shylock for the contract and looks it over. Bassanio offers to pay Shylock the six thousand ducats, but he refuses to accept the money, preferring instead the revenge of killing Antonio. Unable to find any loophole. Portia grants Shylock his pound of flesh. -
Portia tricks Shylock into not killing Antonio
Portia stops him by asking if he has a surgeon present to suppress the flow of blood. Shylock tells her that the bond said nothing about providing a doctor. She informs him that he may have his pound of flesh, but that if he sheds a single drop of blood then Venice can take away his lands and wealth according to the law. Shylock, clearly unable to comply with this law, asks instead that he be given the 6000 ducats. Portia refuses his request, explaining that the deal is already off the the table -
Portia tricks Shylock of all of his money and land.
Portia then starts to read the contract literally. Shylock also must take exactly one pound of flesh, no more and no less, or he will violate the contract and die. Shylock tells the court that he wishes to completely drop his case and forgive Antonio the entire three thousand ducats. Portia again refuses his request, explaining that the law in Venice states that if any foreigner conspires against the life of a Venetian, half his wealth is to be given to the man against whom he conspired against. -
The case is over and everything is well. Except Portia (disguised as Balthasar) asks for the ring as payment
After the trial Bassanio thanks "Dr. Balthasar" (Portia) for "his" good work and offers "him" anything "he" desires. Portia asks him for the ring she had given him earlier as a token of their love. He is upset about giving it to her since he thinks she is "Balthasar." However, after Antonio points out that he nearly lost his life for Bassanio, Bassanio pulls off the ring and hands it to her. -
Happy Ending. Marrige of three couples. Antonio is saved
Bassanio and Graziano return from Venice. The happy reunion is destroyed when Portia asks Bassanio about the ring (which he gave away). She forgives him only after Antonio vouches for Bassanio's fidelity.
Portia then gives Antonio the ring and has him hand it to Bassanio. He is shocked to see it is the same ring he gave "Balthasar". Portia tells him the truth about Balthasar. The play ends with three happy couples: namely Lorenzo and Jessica, Nerissa and Graziano as well as Portia and Bassanio