The Merchant Of Venice

Introduction

Antonio : A merchant of Venice

Bassanio : Antonio's friend

Gratiano : Antonio's friend (2)

Tia : A rich lady in love with Bassanio

Nerissa : Tia's servant, in love with Gratiano

Shylock : A Jewish moneylender

Jessica : Shylock's daughter

Lorenzo : in love with Jessica

...Duke of Venice ...

Morocco : who wish to marry Tia

Arragon : who wish to marry Tia

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...main leads ...

Male main lead : Bassanio

female main lead : Tia

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s o b y e g u y s l e t ' s m e e t t o m o r r o w ......

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...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

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#episode 2

Long ago, there lived in Venice, a town in Italy, a man called Antonio. He was a merchant, owning many ships which traded with distant countries; and he was a good man as well as a rich one.

Antonio's greatest friend was a young soldier, Bassanio, who loved a beautiful lady called Portia. But Bassanio was not a wealthy man, and he did not like to ask Portia to marry him. Because she was as rich as she was beautiful. At last, however, he asked Antonio to lend him some money, so that he could

visit Portia at Belmont, where she lived, and at least find out

if she loved him. It happened that at this time all Antonio's ships were at sea,

and until they returned he had no money to lend Bassanio,

"But go to a moneylender, he said to his friend. 'Borrow the money you need from him, and tell him that when my ships come in, I will pay him back all that he has lent you'

Now, there lived in Venice an old Jew named Shylock. The Jews in those days were the moneylenders of Venice. They lent money, but they forced people to pay so heavily for the loan that they became very rich. Shylock was one of the greediest Jews in Venice. Antonio hated him for his wicked ways, and he had often insulted him and spoken rudely to him. For this reason, Shylock hated Antonio, too, and was anxious to revenge the insults.

Bassanio, knowing that Shylock was very rich, went to him to borrow the money he needed. Shylock was delighted when he heard that Antonio had promised to pay back the loan. He thought that his enemy had been given into his hands and he made a wicked plan. He pretended to be generous and said he would lend Bassanio the money and would not charge him anything for the loan.

"But Antonio must pay me back in three months, Shylock said. 'And, just for a joke, he must sign a bond promising that I may cut off a pound of flesh from his body if the money is not paid.

Bassanio had no faith in Shylock, and did not like Antonio to make such a terrible promise; but Antonio thought that

Shylock was really joking, and he said: 'I am indeed content to sign such a bond. Do not be afraid, Bassanio. My ships will return a month before the money is due, and then I shall have three times as much as Shylock has lent to you. And Antonio signed the bond.

I do not like this promise, said Bassanio uneasily, but Antonio said again: "You need have no fear. My ships will come home a month before the day!

So Bassanio unwillingly took the money, said goodbye to Antonio, and sailed away to Belmont. He took one of his friends with him, a young man called Gratiano.

The beautiful Portia lived in a big house in Belmont with her servant-companion, Nerissa. Her father had died recently and had left her a great deal of money. He had been a wise, old man, and, to protect his daughter from greedy men who might try to marry her because she was so rich, he left Portia three boxes. One of the boxes contained her picture, and whoever chose this box was to be Portia's husband.

Just before Bassanio arrived from Venice, a king's son came

from Africa to visit Portia. This Prince of Morocco was

powerful and wealthy, and he wished to marry her; but Portia did not love him and she hoped that he would choose the wrong box. "Is it not hard, Nerissa?' she confided to her servant. 'I cannot choose the man I wish to marry, or refuse those I dislike!

"You have plenty of admirers to choose from, Nerissa said. "But do you remember a young man from Venice who once visited your father?"

'Yes, yes! Tia answered. 'It was Bassanio-I think that was his name?'

"True, madam, said Nerissa. 'And I think he deserved your love more than any of the others.

'I remember him well, and I remember he was worthy of your praise! said Tia sadly. 'But I cannot marry him unless he comes and chooses the right box.

'Perhaps he will, Nerissa comforted her. 'Your father was a wise and virtuous man. I am sure he will have arranged the boxes so that the right man will choose the right box.

Nerissa's sensible remark made Tia feel more cheerful as she showed the three boxes to the dark-skinned African from Morocco. He examined them carefully, and read the words written on the outside of each one. On the gold box was written:

Whoever chooses me shall gain what

many men desire.

On the silver box was written: Whoever chooses me shall get as much

as he deserves.

And on the plain box, made of lead, was written:

Whoever chooses me must give and risk

all that he has.

'What many men desire, the Prince of Morocco said, looking at the golden box. 'That must be the fair Portia, and her picture will certainly be inside a box of gold."

#episode 3

He opened it, but all he found inside was an ugly skull, and a piece of paper containing these words: All that shines is not gold. Goodbye!

So the Prince of Morocco sadly said goodbye to Portia and

returned to Africa.

The next visitor was the Prince of Arragon, and he, too, was shown the three boxes. This prince was a vain young man with a very high opinion of himself, and he chose the silver box.

"If I get as much as I deserve, he said. 'I shall certainly gain the fair Portia. But the box contained nothing but a fool's head and these

words:

Many fools are hidden behind a silver covering.

So be gone, sir!

The prince, feeling very silly, went away as sadly as the Prince of Morocco had done.

Then Bassanio and Gratiano arrived, and Bassanio begged Portia to permit him to try his luck with the three boxes. She was very much afraid that he might choose the wrong box, but she dared not tell him which was the right one. He looked at the box of gold and the box of silver, and shook his head.

"The things which are most beautiful outside are often the ugliest within,' he said. 'I choose the plain lead box"

Skull: the bones of a head

Portia was filled with joy as Bassanio opened the box and found inside a lovely picture of her. They arranged to be married at once, and Bassanio's friend, Gratiano, asked for permission to marry Nerissa at the same time.

But their happiness was soon disturbed by bad news. A ship arrived from Venice, bringing a friend of Bassanio's called Lorenzo. With Lorenzo was his wife, Jessica, the beautiful daughter of Shylock the Jew. Shylock had always been harsh and cruel to Jessica, and she knew he would never consent to her marrying Lorenzo, first, because he was not a Jew, and second because he was a friend of Antonio's. So one night she ran away from her father's house to marry Lorenzo, taking with her a great deal of money and some jewels.

They had come to Belmont to escape Shylock's anger, and they brought with them a letter to Bassanio from Antonio. Bassanio read the letter and he turned so pale that Portia feared that his friend must be dead.

"What is it, Bassanio?' she asked anxiously. 'You must let me share the bad news that this letter brings."

'Oh, sweet Portia,' said Bassanio. 'Here are some of the most unpleasant words that have ever been written.'

The letter told him that Antonio's six ships, full of riches, had all been wrecked at sea and Antonio's money had been lost with them. And this was not all. Shylock hated Antonio more than ever since his friend, Lorenzo, had run away with Jessica. He was so angry at the loss of his daughter and his money that he walked about the streets crying: 'My daughter!

My money! My jewels! Justice, justice! Find me my money and my daughter! And when he heard that all Antonio's ships were lost, he was very glad. Now he could revenge himself on Antonio and on all those who loved the brave young merchant.

many Shylock went to the Duke of Venice and told him of Antonio's bargain and of the bond he had signed. The Duke and of the merchants tried to persuade Shylock to give up his cruel revenge, but he would not listen to them.

Antonio cannot pay the money, said Shylock. 'He must

therefore keep his promise and pay me the pound of flesh.

Jessica had heard her father tell his Jewish friends that he would rather have a pound of Antonio's flesh than be paid twenty times the sum that was owed to him. Bassanio was terribly disturbed by the news and decided that

he must return to Venice at once to try to save his friend.

Portia had a kind and generous heart and did not try to

prevent his going.

Let us be married now, she said. 'And then you must go to Venice at once. You shall have gold to pay this debt twenty times over: and when it is paid, bring your true friend here!

So they were married, and after the ceremony Bassanio and Gratiano set off at once for Venice. They found that the trial was just beginning.

Antonio did not ask for mercy. He knew that Shylock hated him too much to be merciful. Besides, a man must keep his promise; otherwise people would think that the merchants of Venice were not honest men.

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