2 h 33 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 63 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 63 pagesAbout this book
What happens when a promise made for love puts a man's life in another man's hands?
In William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Antonio risks everything to help his friend Bassanio woo Portia, a wealthy and witty heiress. Shylock, a Jewish moneylender scorned by the city, offers a loan with a terrible condition: failure to repay means a pound of Antonio's flesh.
Beyond Venice's trade and law lies Belmont, where Portia faces the rule set by her late father's will. A puzzle of three chests, Jessica's longing to escape her father's house, and a tense courtroom scene draw love and money into conflict. This comedy has dark edges: friendship meets prejudice, and justice presses hard against mercy.
What you’ll discover
- A friendship under strain Follow Antonio's generous promise as a friend's hopes expose him to a deadly risk.
- Portia and the chests Meet a clever heiress whose wishes clash with the demands of her father's will.
- Shylock's dangerous bargain Face the uneasy questions raised by a scorned moneylender and his demand for repayment.
- Love across a divide Follow Jessica's desire for love beyond her father's home and across a religious divide.
- Mercy in the courtroom Enter a tense legal struggle where compassion challenges the demand to enforce a bond.
Is it for you?
This is for anyone who wants the plot and the big questions of a play often taught in schools, and for theatregoers who want to follow a performance. If you want a light romance with no shadows, it may disturb you.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A friend needs money to woo
- Shylock offers a bond with a price
- Belmont and the three chests
- A daughter flees and a father rages
- Justice, mercy and the cost of prejudice
- How the play is built and spoken
Who’s who
- AntonioA wealthy Venetian merchant, sad and generous, who risks everything to help his friend Bassanio.
- BassanioA charming young nobleman in debt who hopes to win Portia and restore his fortunes.
- PortiaA rich, witty heiress of Belmont, bound by her late father's will yet determined and clever.
- ShylockA Jewish moneylender in Venice, scorned by the city, who offers a loan with a dangerous condition.
- JessicaShylock's daughter, who longs to leave her father's house and find love with a Christian.
- NerissaPortia's lady in waiting and confidante, quick with a joke and loyal to her mistress.
- LorenzoA young Venetian and friend of Bassanio who loves Jessica and helps her escape.
- Launcelot GobboA comic servant who plays with words and moves from Shylock's house to Bassanio's.
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- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
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- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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The Merchant of Venice
by William Shakespeare· 1600
A merchant risks his life to finance a friend's courtship.
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From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 6
A friend needs money to woo
The play opens in Venice with Antonio, a wealthy merchant, who feels a sadness he cannot explain. His friends guess that he worries about his ships at sea, or about love, but he denies both. His closest friend is Bassanio, a charming young nobleman who has spent beyond his means and owes money to many people.
Bassanio comes to Antonio with a plan. In Belmont lives Portia, a rich heiress, and he believes she looks kindly on him. To travel there in proper style and compete for her, he needs a large sum. He is honest about his own faults, and he promises to repay Antonio.
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The author
William Shakespeare
1564–1616 · English playwright and poet
William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet, born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. He worked in London as an actor and playwright. He wrote plays, including Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth, and published sonnets in 1609. He died in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616.
“The quality of mercy is not strained”
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What is The Merchant of Venice about?
It is about a Venetian merchant, Antonio, who borrows money from the moneylender Shylock so his friend Bassanio can woo Portia. The loan carries a dangerous penalty, and the play follows love, prejudice and the law.
Who is Shylock in The Merchant of Venice?
Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice. Antonio and others scorn him, and he offers Antonio a loan with a grim condition. He is the play's most debated character, seen as villain, victim or both.
What are the three caskets in The Merchant of Venice?
They are chests of gold, silver and lead set up by Portia's late father. Suitors must choose one, and the right choice wins her hand. The test shows whether a man values looks or true worth.
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