Question

write a summary of act 1 of Merchant of Venice in detail

Answer 1

Antonio (a Venetian merchant) is hanging out with his friends Salerio and Solanio on a street in Venice. Antonio is a sad bunny, though he claims he doesn't know why.Instead of trying to cheer him up, his friends Solanio and Salerio volunteer reasons why he might be depressed. They suggest that maybe he's worried about all the big ventures he's financed at sea. His ships are out there with goods; if they make it back safely, he'll be rich—but if they don't, he'll be in trouble.Antonio insists that his merchandise at sea is not the cause of his sadness. He's diversified his assets, so no single venture can make or break his fortunes. Even if some ships fail, others are bound to make it. So he's covered—or so he thinks.Solanio isn't satisfied and suggests that Antonio might be in love. This sounds exciting, and of course we'd like to hear more, but Solanio's gossipy gab is cut off by the entrance of yet more friends: Lorenzo, Graziano, and Bassanio, the latter of whom we learn is Antonio's BFF. Salerio and Solanio hastily take their leave, probably because they know Graziano is going to wax on for longer than they care to stick around.Yup: here comes the waxing. Graziano has noticed that Antonio looks sad. (What, is he wearing a sign?). Like the others, he elects not to cheer his friend. Instead, Graziano notes that he'll always be merry, no matter the circumstances. He adds that some men who are quiet and sad-looking seem thoughtful, but they're likely to be as foolish as anyone else; they're just hiding it well.