THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

-Whilliam Shakesphere

Scene 1: market of venice

NARRATOR: In the beautiful city of Vencie, there lived a wealthy merchant called Antonio.
BASSANIO: Hey Antonio!
ANTONIO: Bassanio! It’s been so long, how are the preparation for wedding going?
MERCANIO: Shylock sir! I will repay the dept tomorrow! I promise.
SHYLOCK: A deal is a deal and a promise is a promise. You promised to pay the money by
today, and if you fail to pay up, you gave your word to give me your shop! You didn’t pay
the money. So, your shop is mine.
MERCANIO: My loan is only of fifty ducuts. My shop is way more expensive that!
SHYLOCK: You should have thought of that before pledging you shop to me. Now get of my
way.
ANTONIO: Shylock, wait! Here, fifty ducuts that Mercanio owes you.
SHYLOCK: No!! Why should I take your money? Mercanio was supposed to pay up by today!
ANTONIO: And today is not over Shylock. It’s still hours before sundown. So here is the
money. Leave his shop alone, or else I shall complain about you to the court.
MERCANIO: Antonio! Thankyou so much Antonio! I shall certainly pay you back tomorrow. I
promise.
ANTONIO: I’m sure that Mercanio.
BASSANIO: Antonio! You are something! That evil shylock must hate you.
ANTONIO: Forget about him! Tell me how are your wedding preparations going on?
BASSANIO: They are going well. Thank you!
ANTONIO: Is there a problem Bassanio?
BASSANIO: No! everything is fine.
ANTONIO: You and I are friends. Tell me what is wrong?
BASSANIO: I was expecting some money this week, but it won’t come for the next five
months at least! And I have already made purchases that I have to pay up for!
ANTONIO: How much?
BASSANIO: THREE THOUNSAND ducats!
ANTONIO: that is a lot of money!
BASSANIO: I know! I had purchased a ring for Portia and we wanted to have a feast for five
hundred poor and offer them gifts for our wedding. But now I don’t know what to do!
ANTONIO: That is so noble, Bassanio! I would have gladly lent you the money but even I
don’t have three thousand ducats at this moment. But my ships will come back in three
months and I shall have thousands of ducats then.
BASSANIO: By then it will be too late! The weeding is next week
ANTONIO: I might have an idea. Come with me!
Scene 2:Shylock office
SHYLOCK: Ooooh! That Antonio! Had he not interfered. I would have got a shop worth five
hundred ducats for fifty ducats. Always meddling in my affairs. You will pay Antonio! Some
day you will pay!
BASSANIO: Shylock?!? No Antonio, I won’t let you take money from Shylock! You know
what a cheat he is.
ANTONIO: It’s just a matter of three months Bassanio, I shall be able to repay the three
thousand ducats easily.
NARRATOR: Antonio and Bassanio meets Shylock!
ANTONIO: Shylock?
SHYLOCK: Antonio!!!
ANTONIO: I need some money!
SHYLOCK: You?? You who goes about donating money to ruin my business, YOU need
money?
ANTONIO: you are unfair Shylock and you know it. I need three thousand ducats.
SHYLOCK: three thousand ducats?? (“This is my chance to ruin Antonio and get back at him
for all the times he has insulted me and spoilt my plans!”). fine! I shall give you the money
at no interest. But if you cannot repay the entire amount within three months, everything
that belongs to you will become mine! Deal?
NARRATOR: Antonio was okay with the deal and signed the agreement!
BASSANIO: this is down right cheating shylock! Antonio, let’s go.
ANTONIO: don’t worry Bassanio, my ships will be back in three months. They have already
started from Africa. We have nothing to worry about. You need money now, friend!
NARRATOR: Bassanio was worried for Antonio. He knew Shylock could not be trusted. But
Antonio was confident. Shylock gave him 3 thousand ducats and Bassanio could now go
ahead with his plans for his wedding.
Scene 3: at wedding of Bassanio
Narrator: Bassanio was getting married to a beautiful, wise and intelligent maiden called
Portia. He gave Portia the beautiful ring he wanted to have and together Portia and
Bassanio shared their wealth with the poor. They hosted feast for them, gifts of charity.
BASSANIO: thankyou Antonio! None of this would have been possible without you!
ANTONIO: come on Bassanio! How could I not help in such a noble celebration of a
wedding?
BASSANIO: No! Really, Portia, Antonio risked everything he has with that evil Shylock just to
get us three thousand ducats for the weeding.
PORTIA: What?!? And you let him do it Bassanio?!?
ANTONIO: Don’t worry both of you! Once my ships return from sea, I shall have plenty of
money.
Scene 4 : at garden
NARRATOR: Months rolled by… Bassanio and portia were very happy together and Antonio
was like a family to them. Soon, it was time for Antonio to return shylock’s money.
UNKNOWN: Master! There is a message from the court for you.
ANTONIO: What is the world?
BASSANIO: What is it?
ANTONIO: Well, Shy lock has asked me to appear in the court tomorrow. Where I shall be
tried for not returning his money.
BASSANIO: Is it time already?
ANTONIO: I am sure we have at least 10 more days before the date of returning the money.
REEBUS: Forgive me master but might I say something?
ANTONIO: Certainly, Reebus! What is it?
REEBUS: Sir Lord Shylock has been known to change dates in his contracts. He might have
changed the date from 18 to 8.
NARRATOR: There comes the soldiers from the court to arrest Antonio…
BASSANIO: NO! wait! You can’t arrest him like that!
SOLDIER (1): He has to appear in the court tomorrow and Lord Shylock wants him arrested
so that he does not run away.
BASSANIO: Antonio!
NARRATOR: As soon as the soldiers took him… there came another heart-breaking news to
Bassanio… The letter reads’
BASSANIO: Oh!
PORTIA: what happened? There was a storm in the sea. Antonio’s ships!
BASSANIO: Yes! The ships… But Shylock will not wait another day! And with this message
my friend is doomed!
PORTIA: No, I will not let Antonio come to any harm. Go to him Bassanio and do not tell him
about the storm. Say nothing. It is time that shylock is taught a lesson. I shall come to court
myself as Antonio’s lawyer.
Scene 5:At court
NARRATOR: The next day Antonio was brought to the court before the magistrate.
Magistrate: what do we have here? Lord Shylock v/s Antonio? Let the proceedings begin.
SHYLOCK: Well, the case is quite simple your honor! Antonio owes me three thousand
ducats. At the time that I lent the money to him he promised me that if he didn’t return the
money by today, everything that belongs to him will become mine.
ANTONIO: He has cheated on the date of the contract sir!
MAGISTRATE: Quiet! Mr. Shylock would you please show me the contract?
SHYLOCK: here it is your Honor!
MAGISTRATE: But surely, MR. Shylocks, MR. Antonio’s property is worth much more than
three thousand ducats. Why don’t you take some of it which covers the amount?
SHYLOCK: I’m sorry sir! Antonio himself has signed the contract. A deal is a deal, a promise
is a promise!
MAGISTRATE: Mr. Antonio! How could you even sign such a preposterous deal? Mr.
Shylocks, reconsider! This is inhuman.
SHYLOCK: This you honor! Is a perfectly legal. And all I ask is for Antonio to honor a legally
signed contract and honor his word!
PORTIA: Mr. Shylock is right your honor! Mr. Antonio must honor the contract he himself
signed. Mr. Shylocks as per the contract, if Mr. Antonio does not pay the required amount
today, everything that belongs to him will become yours. RIGHT?
SHYLOCK: That’s right…
PORTIA: And you do not wish to reconsider?
SHYLOCK: Not at all. A deal is a deal, a promise is a promise!
PORTIA: Very well! Your honor, with that all of Mr. Antonio’s losses at sea shall belong to
Mr. Shylock and shall be borne by him.
SHYLOCK: Losses at sea?
PORTIA: Yes!! See for yourself, this arrived last evening. There has been a huge storm on
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea from where his ships were to arrive. You will have to
bear the losses which might be to the tune of twenty thousand ductus.
SHYLOCK: Of course not! Never!
PORTIA: When you say you shall own everything that belongs to Mr. Antonio in all fairness
it also means all the profits, property and the losses that belong to Mr. Antonio.
SHYLOCK: This is cheating your honor!
PORTIA: A deal is a deal; a promise is a promise!
MAGISTRATE: The lawyer is right. You will have to bear all of Mr. Antonio’s losses.
SHYLOCK: I forgive him three thousand ducats! I do not want the money back or the
contract.
MAGISTRATE: Enough Mr. Shylock. Your behaviour proves that you deliberately indulged in
a contract which you knew to be unfair. This puts a serious question mark on your honesty
and integrity. therefore, this court bars you from entering into any further contracts till all
your dealings are thoroughly investigated! Take him away officers!
ANTONIO: All my ships are lost at sea?
Bassanio: there was a strom in the sea! . just come home with me Antonio, you need some
rest.
Scene 6: at their home
Narrator: Antonio was so saddened to hear of his ships lost at sea!. Bassanio took him
home .
Antonio: I have lost all my ships
Bassanio : yes I am afraid ha ha ha
Portia: we only showed the half of the message , the judge also wanted to teach a lesson to
shylock so he did not say anything after seeing it . here is the balance of the message.
Antonio: a terrible strom struck the coast of mediterrane sea .
Portia: this is only the half of message the other half is here
Antonio: but don’t worry Antonio sir! We got of the area at 10 hours before the strom
arrived . all ships and goods are safe . your ships will arrive in venice by 20 th of this month .
Portia : the shylock will never say again a deal is deal, a promise is promise .
Everyone laughs ……….