Merchant of Venice Synopsis
ACT I
Antonio, a merchant of Venice, tells his friends Salerio and Solanio that he is
feeling very sad as of late. His friends think that is must be his large financial
investments at sea that are causing him to worry. When Antonio says that he
isn’t worried about money because he hasn’t invested in just one ship, Salerio
and Solanio conclude that he must be in love. Antonio dismisses this idea as
well. When Bassanio enters, he tells Antonio about Portia, a rich and beautiful
woman he has fallen in love with, and although he has borrowed money from
Antonio that he has yet to pay back, he asks to borrow money again so that he
may court Portia; after he wins her hand in marriage, Bassanio will have enough
money to pay Antonio back completely. Even though Antonio’s money is tied up
in the ships, he gives Bassanio permission to see what kind of loan he can
secure with Antonio’s credit.
In Belmont, Portia complains to her waiting-maid, Nerissa, that she cannot
choose her own husband; her dead father has stipulated in his will that Portia’s
suitors must pass a test in which they must choose among three caskets—one
gold, one silver, and one lead—to find the one that contains her portrait. The man
who chooses correctly will become Portia’s husband and inherit her fortune, but if
the suitor fails, they may never marry anyone else. The women discuss the faults
of the various suitors who have come and gone, and recall that Bassanio might
be a man who is worthy to be Portia’s husband.
Shylock agrees to lend Bassanio 3,000 ducats for three months based on
Antonio’s credit, but Shylock is skeptical because all of Antonio’s money is tied
up at sea. He confesses in an aside that he hates Antonio because he lends
money without charging interest, which makes Shylock’s profession as a
moneylender difficult. Shylock has also been humiliated by Antonio’s public
verbal and physical assaults against him for usury, which is considered a sin by
Christians. When Shylock points out Antonio’s hypocrisy, Antonio replies that he
makes the exception for Bassanio, not for himself. So Shylock offers to lend
Antonio the money, interest-free, for three months, requiring only a humorous
collateral; if Antonio cannot repay the loan when it comes due, he will permit
Shylock to cut from his body one pound of flesh. Although Bassanio is concerned
about this arrangement, Antonio signs a legal contract for the loan, confident that
his business ventures will soon bring him nine times the amount needed to repay
the loan.
ACT II
The Prince of Morocco has come to take the casket challenge to win Portia’s
hand in marriage, but she tells him that if he fails, he may never marry. He
agrees to be bound by her father’s rules.
Launcelot Gobbo, Shylock’s clownish servant, thinks about running away from
Shylock to serve another master. He encounters his father, Old Gobbo, who is
almost blind and doesn’t recognize his son. Launcelot plays a trick on his father,
misdirecting him and pretending that Launcelot is dead, but soon reveals himself
and asks for his father’s blessing. During their reunion, Launcelot begs Bassanio
to have him as a servant; amused by Launcelot’s behavior, Bassanio agrees that
Launcelot can be his servant. Bassanio then sees Gratiano, who asks if he can
go to Belmont with Bassanio. Bassano allows him to come along, but warns
Gratiano that he needs to be on his best behavior. Gratiano agrees, but hopes
that his behavior not be judged on the partying they plan to do that night.
At Shylock’s house, his daughter Jessica tells Launcelot that she is also planning
on leaving her father’s house by running away with Lorenzo, one of Bassanio’s
friends. Later when she is alone, Jessica reflects on how she regrets that she is
Shylock’s daughter but cheers up at the idea of marrying Lorenzo.
As Lorenzo, Gratiano, Salerio, and Solanio, are preparing for a masque
celebration, Launcelot arrives with the letter from Jessica that details her plan for
escape, which includes taking her father’s gold and jewels. Lorenzo gives him a
message for Jessica, that he, Loreno, will not fail her. After Salerio and Solanio,
leave, Lorenzo tells Gratiano that he and Jessica are planning to elope that night.
Shylock reacts angrily to Launcelot’s leaving him but accepts the invitation to eat
with Bassanio, although he is concerned about doing so. Launcelot drops hints
that there will be a masque that night, and Shylock orders Jessica to lock up the
house so as to avoid getting robbed by the party-goers. Launcelot tells Jessica
that Lorenzo will go though with their plans.
Gratiano and Salerio meet Lorenzo outside Shylock’s house to help Jessica
escape with a casket of Shylock’s gold and jewels. As Gratiano is about to leave
for the party, Antonio catches him and tells him that Bassanio’s ship is about to
leave for Belmont, so Gratiano better skip the festivities.
Back in Belmont, the Prince of Morocco enters the lottery to win Portia’s hand in
marriage. He reads the inscriptions on each of the caskets and selects the gold
one, whose inscription reads, “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men
desire.” Since the gold casket is made of such valuable material, he reasons, it is
the only one fit to contain Portia’s image. When he opens the casket, he finds a
skull with a scroll in the eye socket, informing him that he has lost. When he
leaves, Portia declares that she hopes that all “men of his completion” choose
the same way.
In one of the most racially charged scenes in the play, Solanio tells Salerio about
Shylock’s reaction to Jessica’s theft and elopement. Solanio hopes Antonio is
able to pay his debt, but Salerio has heard a rumor that Antonio’s ships have
capsized. Concerned that Shylock’s anger will affect Antonio if he fails to repay
his debt, and the two decide to tell Antonio what they’ve heard.
Once again in Belmont, the Prince of Arragon undergoes the casket test to win
Portia’s hand. He rejects the gold’s offer of “what many desire” as the choice of
the foolish multitudes who only value outward appearance. Feeling that he is
quite worthy, he elects the silver casket’s promise of as much as he deserves.
However, a rhyme inside the casket announces his failure, and he leaves. A
messenger then tells Portia and Nerrisa that Bassanio has arrived to attempt the
test and win Portia’s hand in marriage.
ACT III
Solanio and Salerio have heard reports that confirm that Antonio’s ships have
indeed wrecked, and they are concerned about his contract with Shylock.
Shylock, still upset about Jessica’s elopement, hears from Salerio about
Antonio’s bad fortune, and his grief turns to anger. Salerio asks Shylock if he will
really take his pound of flesh from Antonio, and Shylock responds that he will
take it in revenge for Antonio’s anti-Semitism. Shylock observes that Jews are
like Christians in bodily respects, and that he will prove their desire for revenge is
also the same. Shylock’s friend, Tubal, arrives and reports that he hasn’t been
able to find Jessica, but he has heard about her extravagance with her father’s
money. Enraged, Shylock gets an officer to arrest Antonio in order to collect his
“payment.”
Portia asks Bassanio to postpone choosing from the caskets because if he fails,
he must leave immediately, and she has fallen in love with him. She wishes she
could teach him how to choose, and tries to give him clues in her song, but she
will not defy the letter of the law of her father’s will. Bassanio cannot stand the
suspense, and so he proceeds to make his selection. He rejects the gold and
silver caskets as representing false glamour and outward appearance, and he
opens the lead casket. Inside he finds Portia’s portrait and a scroll confirming that
he has won her hand. Portia gives him a ring, which he promises to wear until he
dies. Gratiano and Nerissa reveal that they have also fallen in love, completing
the third romantic couple of the play. Salerio arrives from Venice with Lorenzo
and Jessica. He tells Bassanio that Antonio has lost all of his investments at sea
and has been arrested, and that Shylock is demanding his pound of flesh. Portia
offers to repay debt twenty times over, and Bassanio makes plans to return to
Venice to try to rescue his friend.
Meantime, Antonio, in the custody of the Jailer, pleads with Shylock for mercy,
but Shylock will not speak to him; he angrily repeats his demand for the pound of
flesh and then leaves. Solanio and Antonio discuss whether the Duke will dismiss
the case, but Antonio believes the law will hold. Antonio only hopes that he will
get to see Bassanio again before he dies.
Portia announces her intention to enter a religious retreat while Bassanio tries to
help Antonio in Venice, but she really has another plan in mind. She tells her
servant Balthasar to deliver a message to her cousin in Padua. Balthasar is then
to meet her with the documents and the clothing the cousin will give him. Portia
tells Nerissa of her plan: they will go to Venice disguised as men.
Launcelot, in his capacity as a professional fool, impudently jests with Jessica
and Lorenzo, telling her that she is damned for her father’s sins. Jessica asserts
that she will not be damned because her husband has saved her.
ACT IV
The Duke of Venice convenes a court to try Shylock’s claim. Shylock is asked to
be merciful, but he refuses, even for repayment of twice the original loan. The
Duke tries to reason with Shylock, asking him to have mercy in order to gain
mercy, but Shylock argues that since he has purchased his pound of flesh, it is
his to do with as he likes.
Portia and Nerissa show up, disguised as a young lawyer and a clerk, just as the
Duke is ready to allow Shylock to claim his bond. Portia acknowledges the bond,
but appeals to Shylock with her “quality of mercy is not strained” speech. When
he refuses, Portia says the law must be upheld, but asks him to reconsider
mercy; again, Shylock refuses, and Portia says the bond must be honored;
Shylock can collect Antonio’s pound of flesh. Antonio bids a passion-filled
farewell to Bassanio, who declares he would give up his wife to keep Antonio
alive.
As the sentence comes down, Portia reveals the loopholes in the law; not a drop
of blood may be spilled with the taking of the pound of flesh because blood is not
mentioned in the contract; and exactly a pound of flesh must be taken, no more
or less. Otherwise, all of Shylock’s possessions will be confiscated by the state of
Venice. When Shylock then tries to take the payment of money rather than the
payment of flesh, Portia shows no mercy. Since Shylock has essentially plotted
murder, his property will be split between Antonio and the state, and as a nonVenetian who has attempted to take the life of a citizen, he is subject to the death
penalty— unless the Duke pardons him. The Duke allows him to live, and
Antonio suggests that Shylock be allowed to keep half of his property and give
the other half to Lorenzo and Jessica—but only if Shylock converts to
Christianity. Shylock agrees, saying, “I am not well.”
Antonio and Bassanio offer to pay the disguised Portia and Nerissa for their help.
They refuse payment, but Portia asks for Bassanio’s wedding ring (the one which
he had promised Portia to never remove). Bassanio refuses at first, but feeling
ungrateful for the lawyer’s help, sends Gratiano to deliver the ring.
Portia and Nerissa deliver the deed for Shylock to sign, and Gratiano catches up
with them to deliver Bassanio’s ring to them. Nerissa decides to get Gratiano to
give up his ring, and both women plot to make the men sorry that they ever gave
up their rings.
ACT V
Lorenzo and Jesscia enjoy the moonlight and music at Belmont and compare
themselves to famous lovers of myth and literature. Word arrives that Portia and
Nerissa are returning from the monastery; when the women arrive, they warn
everyone to not mention their absence. When Bassanio, and Gratiano arrive with
Antonio, he is introduced to the wives, and then a quarrel quickly ensues about
the missing rings. The women say that they will withhold their husbands’ marital
privileges until they have their rings back, and then they tell their husbands that
they “did lie” with the lawyer and his clerk to retrieve the rings.
Before the men are too shocked by their wives “unfaithfulness,” Portia shows
them a letter from her lawyer cousin explaining their roles in saving Antonio’s life.
In true romantic form, Antonio’s ships miraculously return, Lorenzo and Jessica
learn they will inherit Shylock’s fortune, and everyone goes in to celebrate their
happiness.