Write your abstract here.A PLOT SUMMARY OF MERCHANT OF
VENICE BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.Done by Joel Oguta KinaraThis is a play
written in the old English( elizabethian English ).The play takes place in two cities that is
Venice and Belmont.The former city depcted as a city of business while the former is presented as a city of love.Coincedentally the two cities build the two major themes in the play notably : business and love/romance.As the play opens we meet Antonio a businessman in in venice.He is in moody,and because of this his dear friends Solanio and Salerio are concerned about the state of their comrade.They cite business concerns of which he refutes and says that he has invested wisely and therefore no reason to be worried of such.The other
friend says that he is sad because he is in love of which he responds and says fie fie ,which means nonsense in modern English.Later, more friends join them.Among them was his dearest friend Bassanio.Bassanio was in need of financial assistance in order to travel to Belmont to meet a rIchly left fair lady by the name Portia.Antonio was ready to help his friend.At this point Antonio can be said to be a true and reliable friend .Bassanio had not serviced the earlier borrowings that he owed Antonio. Despite this Antonio was ready to be guarantor since Antonio`s ships had not docked.Bassanio finally finds Shylock, a businessman and a staunch Jew.The man is ready to give the sum of three thousand ducats in three months provided Antonio signs into bond.This marks the turning point of the play.It is at this point the ild enemity of the jews and Christians is renewed.From this point the theme of religious hatred and revenge start building.Shylock says he hates Antonio for he is a christian.Antonio on the other hand insults Shylock even as he signs the bond.After Bassanio gets the money he is set to travel to Belmont to meet Portia.Meanwhile one of Antonio`s friends Lorenzo elopes with Shylock`s daughter Jessica.To Shylock this is an abomination because he could not imagine his jew daughter to marry a Christian.There is the cascate scene where some suitos had to try their luck in choosing the right cascate.First to come was The Prince of Morocco he failed in the test since he chose the Gold cascate which unfoturnately did not have Portia`s portrait.Second to come was the Prince of Arragon Who equally failed.The last to come was Bassanio who chose the right cascate.Portia was overjoyed by this and she promised to give all her earthly belongings and her body to Bassanio.From the word go Portia had shown her love to Bassanio noting from her earlieir discussion with Nerissa her maid.Bassanio equally excited and he says.`madam.. only blood in my veins can express my love to you.This excitment is short lived as news from Venice show that Antonio has defaulted in paying for the bond since his his ships collapsed in the deep seas.At this point Bassanio has to gop and help his friend Antonio.At the court scene there is tension as Shylock will not taking nothing less than a bond of fresh from Antonio despite pleas of mercy from the Duke.Meanwhile Portia and her maid now wife to Gratiano disguise as Dr Balthaser and c clerk respectively.At first Shylock was excited to hear Portia argue in his favour.He exclaimed Oh learned judge...This was only tactical as Shylock is found guilty of conspiring to kill A venetian,judgement being he forfeits his wealth to the state as the rest goes to Lorenzo,son in law, a Christian.He is also to forgoe his religion and become a Christan a relgion he loathes