the merchant of venice play by william shakespeare

Launcelot Gobbo – servant of Shylock later a servant of Bassanio son of Old Gobbo.Jessica – daughter of Shylock, later the wife of Lorenzo.Shylock – a miserly Jew moneylender father of Jessica.Nerissa – Portia's waiting maid – in love with Gratiano later the wife of Gratiano disguises herself as Portia's clerk.Portia – a rich heiress later the wife of Bassanio.Lorenzo – friend of Antonio and Bassanio in love with Jessica later the husband of Jessica.Gratiano – friend of Antonio and Bassanio in love with Nerissa later the husband of Nerissa.Bassanio – Antonio's close friend suitor to Portia later the husband of Portia.Antonio – a prominent merchant of Venice in a melancholic mood.Debate exists on whether the play is anti-Semitic, with Shylock's insistence on his legal right to the pound of flesh being in opposition to Shylock's seemingly universal plea for the rights of all people suffering discrimination. The play contains two famous speeches, that of Shylock, 'Hath not a Jew eyes?' on the subject of humanity, and that of Portia on ' the quality of mercy'. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock.Īlthough classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and it is best known for the character Shylock and his famous demand for a ' pound of flesh' in retribution. The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 15.

The merchant of venice play by william shakespeare