MERCHANT OF VENICE

*Shylock, a jewish money lender, is humiliating a peasant in the

Venice square for failing to repay the debt he owes to Shylock*

Peasant: Shylock, please! Give me two days, just two days, I beg of
you!

Shylock: No! You promised me a week ago the debt would be

repaid in a week’s time.The week has passed, and yet you have
not paid your dues.

Peasant: Shylock, I have a family, I must care for them! Just two
days, please!

*As Shylock and the peasant argue, they are interrupted by Antonio, a
wealthy merchant*

Antonio: Signior Shylock! What is happening here?

Shylock: He has failed to pay the debts he has promised to

pay, Signior Antonio.

Peasant: Signior Antonio! You know I have had a bad week,

and I have sold little. I do not have the means to pay the debt!

Antonio: How much do you owe Signior Shylock?

Peasant: 200 Ducats.

Antonio: Signor Shylock, I shall pay the debt on his behalf.

The peasant thanks Antonio repeatedly and continuously.
However, Shylock is less pleased*
Shylock: No, Signior Antonio! It is his debt, you should not be
allowed to pay it!

Antonio: Signior Shylock, you and I are wealthy men, such a

value may seem small to us, and yet to those of lesser fortune,
such as him, so is not the case. His shop has performed badly,
and his wallet is slimmer than ever, please, allow me to pay on
his behalf.

*Antonio produces the needed quantity of gold. Begrudgingly,

Shylock accepts*

Shylock: Fine, but if ever he or any other except you should be

in debt to me, I will not accept your payment.

*As Antonio leaves the square, he encounters a friend*

Bassanio: Antonio! What luck! How are you, my

friend?

Antonio: Bassanio! I am doing well, my friend. How are you? I

have heard rumours that you are engaged.

Bassanio: Rumours they are not! I have indeed become

engaged! Her name is Portia, and never before have I seen
such a combination of
intelligence and beauty. She is a wealthy duchess in Belmont, just
north of here.

Antonio: What news! I congratulate you, Bassanio!

Bassanio: Thank you, dearest Antonio! However, some problems

have arisen, hence, I wished to meet you. In fact, I was about to
send you a letter if I had not met you here.
Antonio: What is it, my friend?

Bassanio: My finances have been tight, Antonio, and they will not
be able to accommodate for the ceremonies. I desperately
require monetary aid, and I could think of nobody better to ask.
The wedding is in a month, and I require 3000 Ducats. Can you
provide before then?

Antonio: Ah, what bad timing! My ships will not return for
another 3 months!

*Bassanio is visibly devastated by this, however, Antonio quickly

has an idea.*

Antonio: Say, I have an idea. We can borrow 3000 Ducats from

Signior Shylock, and when my ships return, I shall repay the
debt.

Bassanio: Antonio, no! I forbid you from trading with that devil!
He will change the date on the contract before you sign it, or
abuse some loophole which the courts cannot charge him for, his
trickery knows no bounds!
Please Antonio, do not borrow from him!

Antonio: Bassanio has not the means to pay for his wedding, and
he has no alternate way to get the money he needs. I promise
you, I shall not allow him to perform any of his tricks.

Bassanio: Ok, I trust your judgement.

Antonio: You needn’t worry, Bassanio, nothing will happen.

*Antonio and Bassanio walk to Shylock’s home together, and
knock on the door*

Shylock (from inside): Enter!

*Antonio and Bassanio enter.*

Shylock: Signior Antonio! How dare you show your face in my

home after you disgraced me so!

Antonio: Signior Shylock, we are here to request a sum of 3000

Ducats from you.

*Shylock is surprised by Antonio’s request*

Shylock: Why would one of, if not the richest man in Venice ask
for such a sum from a simple jewish moneylender.

Bassanio: It is for my wedding, Shylock. Antonio’s fleet will not

return by that point, and I do not have the finances necessary
to fund it on my
lonesome.

Shylock: I see…By what time will this sum be repaid?

Antonio: I shall repay it in 3 months, when my ships return from

Morocco with my profits.

Shylock: Alright…But there must be some collateral, something

that you owe me if you are unable to pay the debt.

Antonio: It is your choice, Signior Shylock.

Shylock: If you are unable to repay the debt, Signior Antonio you
owe me a pound of your flesh.

Bassanio: You cannot agree to these terms, Antonio! This is

ridiculous!

Antonio: We have no other options, Bassanio. I accept your terms,

Signior Shylock.

*Shylock quickly creates a contract, and places it before Antonio*

Shylock: Sign here.

*Antonio signs the given contract, and hands it back to Shylock.

Shylock then procures 3000 Ducats and hands the bag to Antonio*

Shylock: Remember the deal, pay it back on time, or the

consequences will be great.

Antonio: Thank you, Signior Shylock.

*Antonio and Bassanio walk out of Shylock’s home, Bassanio

is visibly overjoyed*

Bassanio: Yes! I can cover the expenses of the wedding! My

darling Portia will be overjoyed! Come, Antonio, we must feast to
celebrate!

*Antonio and Bassanio leave. Enter Portia and Nerissa*

Nerissa: Portia! A letter has arrived! It is from

Bassanio.

Portia: What does it say, my dear Nerissa?

Nerissa: It says that Bassanio has obtained the money needed to
pay for the wedding! It also says that he is starting on his way
here to meet you.

Portia: Such great news! I will eagerly wait for his arrival. I
must get prepared for him. Come, Nerissa!

*Portia and Nerissa leave. Enter Antonio, Bassanio and Lorenzo,

getting prepared to leave.*

Antonio: Goodbye, my dear Venice! Never shall there be as

beautiful a city as you, never shall there be a spire more sightly
than any of yours! Your beauty is matched by none, though many
shall try. Never shall and never
will there be such a city, from Alexandria to Zagreb, that can
match you.

Lorenzo: Enough with the semantics Antonio! Come, we must

leave for Belmont.

Antonio: Coming, my dear Lorenzo!

*Hence, Antonio, Lorenzo and, of course, Bassanio, started their

journey to Belmont*

*Cut to Portia and Nerissa waiting*

Portia: Where are they? Where is my dear Bassanio?

Nerissa: They are coming, Portia, be patient!

*Just then, the sound of footsteps comes from nearby, and

Antonio, Lorenzo and Bassanio emerge*

Bassanio: Portia!
Portia: My dear Bassanio!

*The couple run up to each other*

Bassanio: How I have missed you, my fair Portia! How I have

missed your warm smile glancing down on me! How I have
missed the feeling of your shining locks upon me! How I have
missed the softness of your hand upon mine! How I have missed
you!

Portia: And how I have missed you, my dear Bassanio! I have a gift
for you!

*Nerissa hands Portia an object wrapped in a kerchief, which Portia in

turn gives Bassanio. Bassanio unwraps the kerchief to see a jewel
encrusted chest.*

Portia: It has been in my family for generations. I could think

of no one better to have it than you.

Bassanio: Thank you, my fair Portia, for this wonderful gift!

Now come friends, let us dine!

Lorenzo: Thank you! I was getting tired of watching your romance.

*They all laugh, and then exit*

*Three months have passed. Bassanio has since moved into

Portia’s house in Belmont. He has returned to Venice to visit his
friends.
However, the visit proves to be more dramatic than it first seemed,
as Antonio receives some unexpected news*

*Antonio is given a letter, he opens it and reads it*

Antonio: NO!

Lorenzo: What is it, friend Antonio?

Antonio: There has been a storm off the coast of Morocco, and
my ships have been destroyed. All my profits, gone!

Bassanio: Wait… that means you cannot pay Shylock

back…Which means…

Lorenzo: You owe him a pound of your flesh! My dear Antonio,

you owe that disgusting monster a pound of your flesh!

*Silence fills the room, as Antonio receives one more letter*

Bassanio: What is it now?

Antonio: It is from Shylock…He is suing for what he is owed. The

trial will be in 1 week.

Bassanio: Antonio, no! You cannot accept this!

Antonio: I accepted it long ago, my dear Bassanio. I accepted it

when I signed that contract. I have no choice. Now come, we
must prepare for the trial. I must find a lawyer.

*Antonio, Bassanio and Lorenzo walk off stage, enter Portia and
Nerissa*

Nerissa: Portia! A letter has come from Venice!

Portia: What news has come from my dear Bassanio?

Nerissa: It is not good news, Portia. Antonio’s ships have been lost
at sea, meaning he now owes Shylock a pound of his flesh. The
trial is in 3 days. Bassanio requested if you know anyone of the law
profession so that
Antonio may be represented in court.

Portia: What terrible news! Shylock, the scoundrel! But wait…

He has no lawyer yet you say.

Nerissa: Yes, he requested if you could send one.

Portia: I have an idea. Come, Nerissa!

*Portia and Nerissa exit. Antonio, Bassanio and Lorenzo stand outside
the courthouse.*

Antonio: Where is the lawyer that Portia sent?

Bassanio: He is coming, I am sure.

Lorenzo: Wait! Someone is coming. It is Shylock!

*Shylock walks to the courthouse, glances at Antonio and smiles*

Shylock: Hello Signior Antonio! I hope you have kept your flesh
in good condition for this day.

Lorenzo: Shylock, you jewish devil! What is a pound of flesh good

for?

Shylock: To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed
my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a
million; laughed at
my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my
bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and what’s
his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew
hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed
with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the
same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a
Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do
we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong
us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a
Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a
Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why,
revenge. The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go
hard but I will better the
instruction.

*There is silence. Shylock walks into the courthouse, leaving the other
three in shock*

*As the trio are left in shock by Shylock’s proclamation, their

lawyer finally arrives*

Balthazar (Portia): Hello! I am Signior Balthazar, I have been

sent by Signora Portia in order to represent Signior Antonio
in court.

Bassanio: Hello, Signior Balthazar, thank you for coming, though I

must admit the trial seems quite bleak. I do not see how any
lawyer could win it.

Balthazar (Portia): Well, I am not just any lawyer. Come, the trial
must start soon.

Bassanio: Say, Signior Balthazar. You appear familiar, have I

seen you before?
Balthazar (Portia): Ah…uh…I have been to Signora Portia’s house
quite a few times…You may have seen me there at some time.
Bassanio: Ah I see, that must be it.

And so,with more at stake than ever before, they entered the
courthouse,

Judge: Court in session! May the prosecution present their case.

Shylock: Your Honour, Signior Antonio had, 3 months prior, signed

a contract wherein I loaned him 3000 Ducats, which were to be
paid in 3 months time. 3 months have now passed, and Signior
Antonio has failed to pay. Hence, the collateral must be paid, and
he must hand over to me a pound of his flesh. Indeed, I have a
copy of the contract with me right now.

Judge: Prosecution, you may take your seat. Does the defence
have a response?

Balthazar (Portia): Your Honour, the defence acknowledges that

the contract is binding. However, we plead to the prosecution to
show mercy to Signior Antonio, by at the very least postponing
the deadline of the contract

Shylock: Objection, your Honour. I do not see how mercy could

apply in a court setting, and I find the defence’s response quite
inappropriate.

Balthazar (Portia): Objection, your Honour! The quality of mercy is

not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon
the place beneath. It is twice blest, It blesseth him that gives
and him that takes. ‘Tis
is mightiest in the mightiest it becomes.The throned monarch
better than his crown, his sceptre shows the force of temporal
power,the attribute to awe and majesty,wherein doth sit the dread
and fear of kings. But mercy is above this sceptred sway, It is
enthronèd in the hearts of kings, It is an
attribute to God himself, and earthly power doth then show likest
God’s when mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,though justice
be thy plea,
consider this: that, in the course of justice, none of us should see
salvation, we do pray for mercy,and that same prayer doth teach
us all to render the deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much to
mitigate the justice of thy plea which if thou follow, this strict
court of Venice must needs give sentence
‘gainst the merchant there.

Shylock: Your honour, while this speech from the defence is quite
impressive, I still fail to see how it correlates to the concerned
case. The defence visibly has no argument, and I frankly believe
that this case is quite one sided.

Judge: I cannot help but agree. This case is won by the defence,
who may collect their collateral.

Balthazar (Portia): Wait, your Honour! While Signior Shylock can

be owed his pound of flesh, he may only take the flesh. If a single
drop of blood is to be removed from Signior Antonio’s body,
Signior Shylock has, himself, rendered the contract void.

Judge: The point presented by the defence is, in fact,

correct. Signior Shylock may only take Signior Antonio’s
flesh, and nothing else.

Shylock: Objection, your Honour, how am I to extract a pound

of Signior Antonio’s flesh without him bleeding?

Judge: That, I do not know, Signior Shylock. However, rules are

rules, and indeed the rules set by your own contact you should
follow more than any other.

Shylock: B-but your Honour!

Judge: Would you like to drop the case against Signior Antonio?
Shylock, unsure as to what to do, and without a response, reluctantly
agrees.

Shylock: Y-yes, I-I withdraw.

Immediately, loud cheers emerge from the defence, as

Bassanio, Antonio and Lorenzo loudly celebrate their victory.

And so, the three victorious men walk out of the Courtroom, their case
decided.

Bassanio: You have saved the life of my friend! How could I

possibly repay you?

Balthazar (Portia): Oh, I do not know…Perhaps…some item of

worth, jewellery perhaps? Maybe, that ring?

Bassanio: O-oh, you want my wedding ring?

Balthazar (Portia): Yes, that would be more than enough.

Bassanio: Oh…All right then.

Bassanio reluctantly hands over the ring to Balthazar

Balthazar (Portia): Thank you, Signior Bassanio. I must take my

leave now, goodbye.

And so, the lawyer leaves with Bassanio’s wedding ring.

Antonio: I appreciate you paying the lawyer, Bassanio, though
I’m sorry you lost your ring. Still, I am sure you could purchase
a new one.

Lorenzo: In fact, I have realised I never gave you a wedding

gift. I’ll Purchase new wedding ring for you, my dear
Bassanio!

Before Bassanio could reply, a familiar face

emerged. Portia: My dear Bassanio!

Bassanio: Portia! Why are you here?

Portia: I simply could not help but see you! I am glad that
Antonio could keep his flesh.

Bassanio: So are we all! Please, thank Signior Balthazar on our

behalf.

Portia: So I shall, quite thoroughly. Wait…my dear Bassanio,

where is your ring?

Bassanio: Ah, yes, well, it was taken by Signior Balthazar as

payment. As saddened as I was, he was owed his fees and had
specifically requested for the ring.

Portia: You could not possibly be talking about this ring.

Portia extracts Bassanio’s wedding ring from her pocket.

Antonio, Lorenzo and Bassanio stand in shock

Bassanio: How could you possibly have it? Unless…

Antonio: It was you! You were Signior Balthazar! Thank you
Portia, if it weren’t for you I would be missing a pound of my
flesh!

Portia: Well, of course I could not watch my dear friend’s flesh be

extracted from his body!

A postman arrives holding a letter

Lorenzo: What is it now,

Antonio?

Antonio: Ha! What news! My ships have survived the storm!

They will be here in 2 weeks, my business is saved!

Bassanio: My god! What a day it has been! Come friends,

we must celebrate!

And so, they all celebrated that night, for the loss of Shylock, for
Portia and Bassanio’s marriage, for the saving of Antonio’s ships
and for many more good tidings in the future.