Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare
This summary contains:
- A scene-by-scene summary from the New Swan Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, edited
by Bernard Lot, published by Longman Group Limited in London%
- Bullet Points: Period, Characters, Themes & Important Quotes
- A summary of ‘Religious Nonconformity and the Quality of Mercy: The Merchant of Venice in
Reformaton Context’ by Shagan
- Notes
o Comedies
o Porta
o Shylock
o Jews in England
o Other notes
The Merchant of Venice
Act 1 Scene 1
Antonio, a merchant, tells his friends Salerio and Solanio that he is sad at heart but he cannot say
why% They suggest he is worried about his merchant ships now at sea, but he denies this% He assures
them he is not worried about love-afairs either% They can say only that he is sad because he is not
merry% His friends Bassanio and two others come by% They, too, speak of Antonio’s sadness, and at
last Antonio and Bassanio are lef together% With Bassanio, Antonio seems to be more at ease% They
talk in a friendly way of Bassanio’s love for the beautful heiress Porta, and of how Antonio can help
Bassanio with money so he can go seek her hand in marriage%
Act 1 Scene 2
Porta and her maid Nerissa are seen discussing the method which Porta’s father has willed for her
to find a husband: her suitors must each chose one of three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead,
and the winning casket has Porta’s picture inside% The women talk about the suitors who have so far
come to Belmont from distant countries; Porta is not atracted to any of them, and is glad to know
that none of them is willing to submit to the luck of the caskets% But they remember with pleasure
the visit of Bassanio% The arrival of yet another suitor, the Prince of Morocco, is then announced%
Act 1 Scene 2
Bassanio has already begun to discuss business with Shylock 1% He wants to borrow 3000 ducats2, for
three months, in the name of his good friends Antonio% Shylock tells how he believes Antonio’s name
is a good security, even though his fortune is largely in ships at sea% But he also refects that he hates
Antonio because he lends money without charging interest, which is bad for business, and because
Antonio has ill-treated him% When Antonio himself comes up to them, an agreement is soon made;
Shylock will lend the money, but if it is not replaced within three months, Antonio must give a pound
of his fesh to Shylock%
Act 2 Scene 1
1
Whose name sounds like one of those merged superwholock tumblr fandoms
2
Italian coins, four ducats being worth around one pound sterling, according to the notes in my copy of this
play% I think my copy was published in 1974? So 750 pound sterling, which is currently according to
infaton%iamkate%com is approx% equivalent to 7440 pound sterling, or 8 356 ,79 euros in 2018 %
This summary contains:
- A scene-by-scene summary from the New Swan Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, edited
by Bernard Lot, published by Longman Group Limited in London%
- Bullet Points: Period, Characters, Themes & Important Quotes
- A summary of ‘Religious Nonconformity and the Quality of Mercy: The Merchant of Venice in
Reformaton Context’ by Shagan
- Notes
o Comedies
o Porta
o Shylock
o Jews in England
o Other notes
The Merchant of Venice
Act 1 Scene 1
Antonio, a merchant, tells his friends Salerio and Solanio that he is sad at heart but he cannot say
why% They suggest he is worried about his merchant ships now at sea, but he denies this% He assures
them he is not worried about love-afairs either% They can say only that he is sad because he is not
merry% His friends Bassanio and two others come by% They, too, speak of Antonio’s sadness, and at
last Antonio and Bassanio are lef together% With Bassanio, Antonio seems to be more at ease% They
talk in a friendly way of Bassanio’s love for the beautful heiress Porta, and of how Antonio can help
Bassanio with money so he can go seek her hand in marriage%
Act 1 Scene 2
Porta and her maid Nerissa are seen discussing the method which Porta’s father has willed for her
to find a husband: her suitors must each chose one of three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead,
and the winning casket has Porta’s picture inside% The women talk about the suitors who have so far
come to Belmont from distant countries; Porta is not atracted to any of them, and is glad to know
that none of them is willing to submit to the luck of the caskets% But they remember with pleasure
the visit of Bassanio% The arrival of yet another suitor, the Prince of Morocco, is then announced%
Act 1 Scene 2
Bassanio has already begun to discuss business with Shylock 1% He wants to borrow 3000 ducats2, for
three months, in the name of his good friends Antonio% Shylock tells how he believes Antonio’s name
is a good security, even though his fortune is largely in ships at sea% But he also refects that he hates
Antonio because he lends money without charging interest, which is bad for business, and because
Antonio has ill-treated him% When Antonio himself comes up to them, an agreement is soon made;
Shylock will lend the money, but if it is not replaced within three months, Antonio must give a pound
of his fesh to Shylock%
Act 2 Scene 1
1
Whose name sounds like one of those merged superwholock tumblr fandoms
2
Italian coins, four ducats being worth around one pound sterling, according to the notes in my copy of this
play% I think my copy was published in 1974? So 750 pound sterling, which is currently according to
infaton%iamkate%com is approx% equivalent to 7440 pound sterling, or 8 356 ,79 euros in 2018 %
