The
Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s more popular and better known plays. As is the case with Shakespeare’s plays, it has a unique cast of memorable characters, lead by Antonio (who is the merchant prince in question), the wise Portia and the moneylender Shylock.
Bassanio lacks the means to woo the rich heiress Portia, but his friend Antonio steps in and offers to help, even though his fortune is at sea. Antonio and Shylock (the same Shylock he has undermined by lending money without interest) seal a bargain for three thousand ducats, to be returned within a period of three months. But as fate would have it, Antonio is undone – one of his vessels is lost in the narrow seas, while another is shipwrecked off Tripoli.
Shylock has reasons of his own to be annoyed with Antonio, as both he and his kinsman Bassanio have helped Shylock’s daughter (Jessica) elope with Lorenzo.
The Duke of Venice asks for mercy, but Shylock contends that he has done no wrong in asking for his
pound of flesh. He argues that there are many slaves in Venice, who are worked like animals, and treated as mere assets to be bought and sold. The same
law which gives the citizens of Venice the
right to own slaves, also gives him the right to his pound of flesh, as Antonio has forfeited his personal bond.
Bassiano
tells Portia to subject the law to her authority as a judge. By doing a little wrong (bending the law), she will be doing a far greater right (saving Antonio’s life). But Portia answers that cannot be; once a ruling has been given, it cannot be changed. If that were allowed, she says, it would set a bad precedent for all of Venice.
At first Portia tells Shylock to arrange for a physician so that Antonio does not bleed to death. But when Shylock refuses (because such a provision is not mentioned in the bond), Portia tells him that he may have his pound of
flesh – that much, and no more – but imposes the condition that he must not shed a drop of blood in the process! A condition that is plainly impossible to meet…
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