Description
The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, a true masterpiece that has been enjoying continuous success in theaters across the world ever since it was written sometime between 1596 and 1599 and being just as enjoyable in book form as it is on the stage.Set in 16th century Venice, the plot of the romantic comedy revolves around Bassanio, a young merchant and his attempts to woo Portia, a beautiful and extremely wealthy heiress. Having no money, Bassanio needs three thousand ducats to be able to court the lady, so he turns to his merchant friend, Antonio who has helped him out on repeated occasions in the past. Antonio is willing to help, but his cash is blocked in merchandise, so he offers to cover a bond if Bassanio can find a lender. The young man turns to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender who is reluctant at first because of his previous conflicts with Antonio, but eventually agrees to provide Bassanio with the sum he needs on the condition that in the case Bassaio fails to pay back what he owes, Shylock is entitled to take one pound of flesh from Antonios body. With all the money he needs, Bassanio goes to Belmont after Portia and eventually wins her hand. In the meantime, Antonio fails to pay back the money to Shylock and is summoned in front of the court, with the Duke of Venice as the judge presiding over the case the court scene is the peak of the plot, but not the end by far, there are a lot more adventures and events to come until everything becomes solved in the end.The Merchant of Venice is surely one of Shakespeares most entertaining and funniest comedies, but it is also much more than that: it is a text rich in themes, in social criticism and allegories, worth not only watching in the theater, but also reading.