The Merchant of Venice

Believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599, Merchant of Venice, is a comedy by William Shakespeare. Taking place in Venice, the story begins with a Merchant named Antonio who is helping his friend court a wealthy heiress. The two men approach a money lender for a loan to impress the heiress; The moneylender, Shylock, is a greedy and vengeful man who requests a pound of Antonio’s flesh as guarantee for the loan.

As the story unfolds the characters must confront their deepest desires. While some are seeking love, friendship, and loyalty; other characters are seeking wealth, power, and revenge. The Merchant of Venice’s Italian romance plot is typical in Shakespeare’s earlier works, however the characters that he developed for this story are truly unforgettable. Characters like Portia, Shakespeare’s first great heroine and the polarizing villain Shylock capture readers and raise this story to a new level.