write about merchant of venice icse in 250 words
Answers
The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play written by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice must default on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599. Though 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 Shylock and the famous "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech on humanity. Also notable is Portia's speech about "the quality of mercy". Critic Harold Bloom listed it among Shakespeare's great comedies
Characters
Antonio – a prominent merchant of Venice in a melancholic mood.
Bassanio – Antonio's friend; suitor to Portia; later the husband of Portia
Gratiano – friend of Antonio and Bassanio; in love with Nerissa; later the husband of Nerissa
Lorenzo – friend of Antonio and Bassanio; in love with Jessica; later the husband of Jessica
Portia – a rich heiress; later the wife of Bassanio
Nerissa – Portia's waiting maid – in love with Gratiano; later the wife of Gratiano; disguises herself as Stephano
Balthazar – Portia's servant, whom Portia later disguises herself as
Shylock – a miserly Jew; moneylender; father of Jessica
Jessica – daughter of Shylock, later the wife of Lorenzo
Tubal – a Jew; friend of Shylock
Launcelot Gobbo – servant of Shylock; later a servant of Bassanio; son of Old Gobbo
Old Gobbo – blind father of Launcelot
Leonardo – slave to Bassanio
Duke of Venice – authority who presides over the case of Shylock's bond
Prince of Morocco – suitor to Portia
Prince of Arragon – suitor to Portia
Salarino and Salanio (also known as Solanio) – friends of Antonio and Bassanio[2]
Salerio – a messenger from Venice; friend of Antonio, Bassanio and others[2]
Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the Court of Justice, gaoler, servants to Portia, and other attendants and Doctor Bellario, cousin of Portia
Antonio, the Merchant of Venice, lends three thousand ducats to his friend Bassanio in order to assist him in his wooing of the wealthy and beautiful Portia of Belmont, an estate some distance from Venice.
Antonio's own money is tied up in business ventures that depend on the safe return of his ships from sea, so he borrows the money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender whom he has previously insulted for his high rates of interest.
Shylock lends the money against a bond. Failure to repay the loan on the agreed date will entitle Shylock to a pound of Antonio's flesh.
PORTIA'S SUITORS
Portia's father has decreed that she will marry whichever suitor makes the correct choice when presented with three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead.
Where wealthy suitors from Morocco and Aragon fail, Bassanio succeeds by choosing lead. His friend Gratiano marries Portia's lady-in-waiting Nerissa at the same time.
News arrives that Antonio's ships have been lost; he is unable to pay his debt.