The Merchant of Venice : Summary

Summary

 [The summary is written in some points to help you remember easily]

Bassanio’s meeting with Antonio in Venice: This play begins in Venice, Italy. Antonio is a big businessman. He invested all his money in ocean liners. He is anxious about when his ships will return to shore. Bassanio and Gratiano are two very close friends of Antonio. They come to meet Antonio. Bassanio also notices that Antonio is very upset. Antonio reports that all his ships are at sea.

Bassanio tries hard to calm him. Bassanio then tells Antonio that he will need some money. If he had given Bassanio the money, he would have entered the competition as the suitor of Princess Portia of Belmont. Antonio says he used all his money in business. He has no money at the moment. But Antonio tells Bassanio that he can borrow money from someone else in his name if he wants and that Antonio himself will be the guarantor of that money.

Portia’s anxiety over not solving the puzzle: Now the scene of the play is shown at the Belmont. Portia is very disappointed in her marriage. She wonders if can anyone solve the riddle of the casket given to her by her father. Meanwhile, princes of many countries tried to solve the riddle. But no one could solve it. Notable among them are English lords, Scottish lords, the prince of Denmark, and Germany all unsuccessfully attempting to solve the riddle. Portia is very depressed by all this. Portia then tells her friend Nerissa that she has faith that someone will come along and solve the riddle. Then she thinks of Bassanio. Bassanio comes in the guise of a hero and frees Portia from this maze. At this time a servant informs Portia that the Prince of Morocco has accepted the riddle of her casket. He wants to solve this puzzle.

Borrowing Bassanio’s money from Shylock: The scene of the play is then shown in Venice. Bassanio also goes to a big businessman named Shylock. Shylock lends money to people in Venice in exchange for interest. Bassnio asks Shylock to borrow 3000 ducats. Shylock does not want to lend money at first. But Bassanio then says that the guarantor of this money would be the biggest businessman in this city, Antonio. Shylock is fired with vengeance at the very mention of Antonio’s name. Because Antonio never liked Shylock’s exploitative dealings; Shylock used to lend money to people on interest and if they could not pay the interest on time, he would torture them in various ways. This time Shylock has a great opportunity to take revenge on Antonio.

Shylock made several conditions while lending this money. According to the contract, Shylock would lend Bassanio three thousand ducats and he would not charge any interest in return. But the condition is that all money must be returned within three months. Shylock will cut a pound of flesh from any part of Antonio’s body if he somehow fails to return the money.

Bassanio tells Antonio not to agree to this condition. But Antonio would believe that his ships would reach the coast in due time. Then he will have no more money problems and he can pay off Shylock’s money. So, Antonio agrees to the contract and Shylock lends Bassanio three thousand ducats.

Shylock’s daughter Jessica: This time the scene of the play is shown again in Venice. Basanio decides to go to Belmont after receiving money from Shylock. Meanwhile, Shylock’s daughter Jessica is falling in love with Lorenz. Shylock will not accept their relationship in any way. Because Shylock is a Jew and Lorenz is Christian. He is not at all willing to marry a girl to a Christian boy. That’s why Jessica plans to run away with Lorenz. Lorenz asks Bassanio’s friend Gratiano for help in this matter.

Meanwhile, Bassanio also invites Shylock for dinner. When Shylock goes to Bassanio’s house for dinner, Shylock’s daughter Jessica runs off with Lorenz with her father’s large sum of money. Jessica and Lorenz then approach Bassanio and beg him to take them with him to Belmont.

Trying to solve the riddle by the Prince of Morocco: This time the scene of the play is shown at Portia’s house. The Prince of Morocco comes to solve the riddle. The riddle is that Portia’s father has left three boxes. There are three boxes with separate instructions. The first box is gold inscribed “Who chooses me shall gain what many men desire”; And the second box is of silver and on it is written “Who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves”; and the third box is of lead and on this box is written “Who chooses me must give and hazard all he has.”

Any one of these three boxes contains a picture of Portia. According to the will, Portia will marry whoever can select the correct box. The Prince of Morocco smiled and easily selected the first box, the gold box. After opening the box, he did not find the picture. Rather, a sentence was written there “All that glitters is not gold”. Portia is disappointed again. Because so many princes have participated in this competition. But none succeeded.

Shylock’s lament over his daughter running away with a Christian boy: This time the scene of the play is shown in Venice. Shylock laments for his daughter. Because she ran off with a Christian. And Shylock cannot accept it in any way. His daughter also took the ring given to him by his dead wife. Because of this Shylock is very angry. Meanwhile, Aragon’s Prince arrives to solve Portia’s riddle. He selects the silver box. It was also the wrong box.

Bassanio Solves the Riddle: Just when everyone is failing to select the right box, Bassanio appears. Meanwhile, Portia is also very happy to see Bassanio’s arrival. She continues to pray to God that Bassanio may pick the right box and marry her.

Bassanio chooses the lead casket very thoughtfully. Inside, there is a picture of Portia. Bassanio wins the competition. According to Portia’s father’s will, Portia can now marry Bassanio. Portia receives Bassanio with great joy. She gives Bassanio a ring as a symbol of love and warns him not to give it to anyone.

Shylock’s daughter Jessica informs them that Shylock has filed a case against Antonio to the Duke. Because Antonio couldn’t pay Shylock on time. Now according to the terms Shylock will cut a pound of flesh from any part of Antonio’s body. Bassanio is very upset after hearing this news. He gets very worried.

Bassanio gets worried about how to pay so much money. He has no money now. Portia notices this. While Lorenz and Jessica are telling Bassanio everything, Portia overhears everything. Portia asks Bassanio to leave for Venice with double the money i.e. 6000 ducats. Bassanio leaves for Venice without any delay.

Meanwhile, Portia decides to help her husband’s friend. So she disguises herself as a lawyer (Dr. Balthazar) and Nerissa as his assistant, and sets off for Venice.

Antonio’s trial at the Duke’s court: The play is now being performed in the Duke’s Palace in Venice. The Duke begins the trial of Antonio and Shylock in his courtroom. Antonio’s lawyer in this trial is Dr. Balthazar (Portia in disguise). Shylock tells the court that Antonio has failed to pay his debts. So according to the terms, Shylock will cut a pound of flesh from any part of Antonio’s body. Shylock is offered twice the amount of money. But he won’t take the money anyway. He wants to cut the flesh from Antonio’s body.

According to the contract, Shylock could take a pound of flesh, but the contract did not mention blood. So Shylock was ordered to cut the flesh without shedding blood. If blood comes out, all his property will be confiscated. The duke will receive half of all his possessions and Antonio will receive the other half.

After hearing this, Shylock says that it is impossible to cut flesh without blood. This time Shylock realizes his own mistake and apologizes to the Duke for his crime. The Duke confiscates all of Shylock’s possessions. Half of his property goes to the Duke and the other half to Antonio. Here Antonio again shows his magnanimity. She asks the Duke to give his share to Shylock’s daughter Jessica so that Jessica will own the property after Shylock dies. Shylock was forced to accept the verdict and converted to Christianity as punishment.

After his release, Antonio and Bassanio also meet the lawyer outside the court. They want to pay the lawyer. But that lawyer wants one thing other than money. The lawyer wants Bassanio’s ring. Bassanio hesitates but gives it to the lawyer. After completing all the proceedings, the lawyer i.e. Portia and her assistant returns to Belmont. Meanwhile, Bassanio and his friend arrive at Belmont.

When Portia asks about the ring she gave to Bassanio, Bassanio tries to convince Portia in different ways. But he failed. Antonio then tells Portia the whole story and Portia calms down. Then Portia surprises Bassanio and gives him the ring. When Bassanio asks, Portia clears up their disguise.

Bassanio and Antonio are overjoyed to learn that Portia has saved Antonio. Finally, Antonio learns that three of his ships have reached the shore. This is how the play ends.