The Merchant of Venice abbreviated

Synopsis


Antonio is a merchant of Venice, a trader of goods, moving them around the world. Antonio is wealthy and has a friend in Bassanio; Bassanio having an interest in Portia, “a lady richly left, fairer than that word, and of wondrous virtues.” But Antonio, afraid of losing his friend Bassanio to Portia, laments “I know not why I am so sad” and in his complaining gets some good advice from Gratiano. (Insight, Act 1, Scene 1)

A challenge for Bassanio, wanting to court Portia, is that she lives in Belmont and he doesn’t have the funds to get there. Antonio, good friend that he is, suggests Bassanio secure the funds he needs to get to Belmont by negotiating a loan there in Venice, using the prosperous merchant’s good credit as collateral. Taking advantage of Antonio’s generous offer, Bassanio works out a deal with Shylock, a money lender, borrowing three thousand ducats for three months. But Shylock, with a dislike for Antonio, justifiably believing Antonio has treated him poorly in the past, has extracted stiff terms, being an experienced lender, telling Bassanio that the bondholder must “forfeit a pound of your fresh flesh” if the loan is not repaid on the day agreed, Antonio being the bondholder. (Resentment, Act 1, Scene 3) Bassanio thinks the terms of the loan are pretty harsh, but a confident Antonio tells him “fear not, man, I will not forfeit it!” Bassanio doesn’t think much more about it, excited as he is to get to Belmont.

Meanwhile in Belmont, Portia is about to begin a husband-choosing process through a “lottery” that her father “hath devised” for her through his will, he being recently deceased. Portia is “aweary” of her predicament. (Grief, Act 1, Scene 2) Nerissa, her gentlewoman, tries to soothe her saying, “Your father was very virtuous, and holy men at their death have good inspirations.” The winner of the lottery, the one who wins Portia, will be the one who “chooses his meaning” by choosing the correct chest, which is one of three, a gold, silver or lead chest. Portia frets over the process of having to deal with these suitors, but agrees with Nerissa that of those men in her life, Bassanio “was the best deserving a fair lady.” The first suitor to arrive in Belmont is the Prince of Morocco who has grand hopes that he is the one who wins her father’s lottery. (Pride, Act 2, Scene 1) She invites him to dinner.

Meanwhile back in Venice, Lancelet, Shylock’s servant, lets us know that he plans to leave his master’s employment. Lancelet’s “sandblind” father, Gobbo, enters, not recognizing his son, and is treated beautifully by the son he can’t quite see. The two of them talk with Bassanio, encouraging him to employ Lancelet, which he does. Meanwhile Bassanio’s good friend Gratiano, looking for some adventure, practically begs Bassanio to let him accompany him to Belmont, and Bassanio agrees with the request, conditioned on Gratiano conducting himself in a better manner than he normally does. (Request, Act 2, Scene 2) Gratiano agrees to give it a good try. Separately, Jessica, Shylock’s daughter, who, like Lancelet, plans to leave her father’s household, gives Lancelet a letter to be delivered to Lorenzo, the young Christian man she loves.

Lorenzo receives Jessica’s letter. Shylock leaves for a dinner party, leaving his daughter to take care of the house while he’s gone. With her father out of the house, Jessica elopes with Lorenzo, but not before helping herself to her father’s gold coins and jewels. The dinner party is canceled. Returning home early, Shylock is beside himself, realizing that his daughter has “stol’n from me a sealed bag of double ducats and two rich and precious jewels” and that she has “fled with a Christian.” Meanwhile, Bassanio and Gratiano have decided that now is the time to leave for Belmont, the wind being most favorable.

Meanwhile back in Belmont, the Prince of Morocco chooses the gold chest, a wrong chest, and exits. (Introspection, Act 2, Scene 7) As Morocco is leaving, the Prince of Arragon arrives, acknowledging through an oath that if he fails to choose the correct chest he must never unfold to anyone which casket he chooses, never woo a maid in way of marriage, and immediately leave Portia and be gone. He chooses the silver chest, also a wrong chest, and leaves. (Observation, Act 2, Scene 9) So now we know. A messenger enters to tell Portia “a young Venetian is alighted,” and that he “has not seen so likely an ambassador of love,” and “that a day in April never came so sweet.” Nerissa squeals, “Bassanio, Lord Love, if thy will it be!”

Meanwhile back in Venice, two of Antonio’s friends report that there is a rumor that a Venetian merchant’s ships have gone down in the English Channel. (Revenge, Act 3, Scene 1) Separately, Shylock learns from Tubal, his friend and agent, and another moneylender, that Jessica can’t be located, try as they might to find her. Meanwhile, back in Belmont, Portia is encouraging Bassanio to take his time before making his casket choice. Bassanio briskly responds, “Let me choose.” (Observation, Act 3, Scene 2) He opens the lead casket, the winning casket. (Infatuation, Act 3, Scene 2) He and Portia promptly marry, as do Gratiano and Nerissa. Giving us a heads-up of what might be to come, Portia warns Bassanio to never lose his wedding ring or give it away. (Courtesy, Act 3, Scene 2) A shocked Bassanio soon learns from a Venetian messenger that it looks like Antonio’s ships have been lost at sea, and that Shylock plans to enforce his bond. When wealthy Portia learns the amount of the bond, she says, “What, no more?” Having a plan in mind, she offers to cover it “twenty times over.” She turns the management of her house over to visiting Lorenzo and Jessica, who somehow having fled Venice have found themselves in Belmont, telling them that she and Nerissa are going to a monastery. Portia sends a letter to her cousin, a Doctor Bellario, “a noted jurist in Padua,” letting him know how he can help her with her plan, and lets him know that he has to keep her plan a secret. (Deception, Act 3, Scene 4) She quietly tells Nerissa that “I’ll tell thee all my whole device when I am in my coach.”

Meanwhile the court convenes in Venice with the duke of Venice, Antonio, Bassanio, Gratiano and others present. Shylock enters and promptly lets all know that he holds firm to his demand “to forfeit on my bond.” (Determination, Act 4, Scene 1) The duke announces that he plans to dismiss the court unless Bellario arrives soon. A disguised-as-a-law-clerk Nerissa enters to report the Bellario has sent a learned young lawyer, Balthazar, as his substitute, Bellario not being well. Portia enters, disguised as Balthazar, and is welcomed by the duke. Balthazar says he is aware of the case and suggests Shylock show more mercy and seek less justice, he having a very strong case. (Inspiration, Act 4, Scene 1) Shylock holds firm. Balthazar essentially says, well, okay, you may take a pound of flesh, but must take no blood and may take precisely but one pound. (Acceptance, Act 4, Scene 1) Recognizing that he’s trapped, Shylock says he’ll take the money offered, Bassanio having offered “for thy three thousand ducats here is six.” The duke tells Shylock essentially, no deal, and tells the court that Antonio is to get one-half of Shylock’s goods; the state the other half. (Revenge, Act 4, Scene 1) Antonio suggests a lesser fine. The duke agrees. Shylock exits.

Bassanio offers to pay Balthazar for his enormous assistance, but he refuses the offer. He does, however, say that as a tribute he wants his ring. All the while, of course, Balthazar remains a disguised Portia. Bassanio says he can’t part with it. Portia and Nerissa exit. Antonio persuasively says to Bassanio, “Let him have the ring.” Bassanio reluctantly consents and gives his ring to Gratiano, instructing him to find Balthazar and give it to him. He does. Aside, Nerissa says to Portia, “I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring, which I did make him swear to keep forever.” She does.

Meanwhile back in Belmont, Lorenzo and Jessica greet Portia and Nerissa as they return. Bassanio, Gratiano and Antonio arrive a little later. Nerissa promptly takes Gratiano aside to express her concern, noting that his ring is missing. Portia scolds Gratiano and then turns to Bassanio, asking him about his missing ring. (Tease, Act 5, Scene 1) Bassanio profusely tries to explain and apologize has way out of his serious predicament. Antonio, gentleman that he is, says I am “th’ unhappy subject of these quarrels.” Portia says, “Sir, grieve not you.” She gives him the ring to give to Bassanio. Nerissa returns Gratiano’s ring to him. Portia describes the ruse. Portia shows Antonio a paper that lets him know his ships have in fact arrived safely. Nerissa shows Lorenzo a paper from Shylock deeding all his possessions at his death to Jessica and him. Gratiano vows to take better care of his ring.


Principal Characters


Antonio
Antonio is the merchant who risks all to help his friend, Bassanio. Bassanio borrows money using Antonio’s good credit. Antonio’s ships are the basis for his good credit, and it is reported they’ve been lost at sea. The possible loss of his ships is central to the play. At the end we learn that his ships have safely returned.

Bassanio
Bassanio is by all accounts a fine young man and a very eligible bachelor. His interest in seeing Portia, then winning her, and then almost losing her, is the play’s central theme. Portia, in disguise, then helps save Antonio from the high-risk deal he made with Shylock.

Gratiano
Gratiano is by early accounts a rowdy playboy, but he changes his behavior at the insistence of Bassanio, and ends up with Nerissa, becoming a loyal husband and a reliable friend to Bassanio.

Jessica
Jessica is Shylock’s daughter, his only child, who runs off with a Christian, Lorenzo, after taking some of her father’s gold and jewels. She doesn’t have a big role, but comes to peace with her father who ends up willing her and her husband all of his possessions.

Lancelet
Lancelet has a small role, first as Shylock’s servant and then as a servant to Bassanio.

Lorenzo
Lorenzo is the Christian who marries Jessica, running off with her to Belmont, acting with Jessica as managers of Portia’s house while Portia is off defending (in disguise) Antonio against Shylock’s effort to extract his “pound of flesh.”

Nerissa
Nerissa is Portia’s waiting-gentlewoman; she is Portia’s loyal assistant as Portia acts out her clever chicanery. She marries Gratiano.

Portia
Portia is the beautiful, wise, wealthy, talented and virtuous heroine of the play, Shakespeare giving her perhaps his best female role. She is the lead and makes the play. She is wonderful.

Shylock
Shylock is the antagonist, a wealthy moneylender, used by Shakespeare to help make the play. Jews were discriminated against in early Venice, at the time the world’s major center for trade, and Shakespeare lets us count the ways. As a Jew, Shylock would have been denied citizenship in Venice. He lived in a suburb known as the Ghetto. He has one child, a daughter, Jessica.

 A portrait of William Shakespeare