The Merchant of Venice
Contents
Characters in the Play
Entire Play
Antonio, the merchant in The Merchant of Venice, secures a loan from Shylock for his friend Bassanio, who seeks to court…
Act 1, scene 1
Antonio, a Venetian merchant, has invested all his wealth in trading expeditions. Bassanio, his friend and kinsman, asks him for…
Act 1, scene 2
At Portia’s estate of Belmont, Portia and Nerissa talk over Portia’s frustration at being unable to choose her own husband….
Act 1, scene 3
In Venice Bassanio goes to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to borrow, in Antonio’s name, 3,000 ducats. Shylock hates Antonio but…
Act 2, scene 1
At Belmont the Prince of Morocco greets Portia, who tells him the terms of the contest: if he chooses the…
Act 2, scene 2
In Venice Shylock’s servant, Lancelet Gobbo, debates whether he should find a new master. Lancelet’s father comes in search of…
Act 2, scene 3
Jessica, Shylock’s daughter, says good-bye to Lancelet and gives him a letter for Lorenzo, a friend of Bassanio. In a…
Act 2, scene 4
Lorenzo, Gratiano, Solanio, and Salarino try to arrange a masque for Bassanio’s dinner that night. Lancelet brings Lorenzo Jessica’s letter…
Act 2, scene 5
Lancelet brings Shylock an invitation to dinner at Bassanio’s. Shylock grudgingly accepts and commands Jessica to guard their house carefully….
Act 2, scene 6
Gratiano and Salarino wait for Lorenzo near Shylock’s house. As soon as Lorenzo arrives, he calls Jessica, who throws him…
Act 2, scene 7
At Belmont the Prince of Morocco attempts to choose the right chest and win Portia. He picks the gold one…
Act 2, scene 8
In Venice Solanio and Salarino discuss the latest news: Shylock’s torment over the loss of his daughter and the treasures…
Act 2, scene 9
At Belmont the Prince of Arragon attempts to win Portia by choosing the silver chest, but finds in it the…
Act 3, scene 1
In Venice Solanio and Salarino have learned that the Italian ship wrecked in the English Channel was Antonio’s. Shylock enters…
Act 3, scene 2
Portia advises Bassanio to postpone choosing for fear he should make the wrong choice. Bassanio declares himself unable to live…
Act 3, scene 3
Antonio seeks out Shylock in an effort to get the moneylender to listen to him. But Shylock insists that the…
Act 3, scene 4
Portia entrusts the management of her household to Lorenzo and pretends to leave with Nerissa for a house of an…
Act 3, scene 5
Lancelet, the clown, makes jokes at the expense of Jessica and then Lorenzo. Jessica praises Portia and jokes with Lorenzo.
Act 4, scene 1
In court at Venice, Shylock demands that the terms of his bond be fulfilled. Portia enters as a doctor of…
Act 4, scene 2
Gratiano gives the disguised Portia Bassanio’s ring. Nerissa decides to try to obtain from Gratiano the ring that she had…
Act 5, scene 1
Portia and Nerissa return to Belmont. When Bassanio and Gratiano also return, bringing Antonio with them, Portia and Nerissa “discover”…


