The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice is a play written by William Shakespeare. This comedy is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. In this 16th-century play, Antonio, a merchant in Venice, defaults on a substantial debt made by Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, who without mercy, demands a pound of his flesh. Shylock also wants to get even with Antonio for making anti-Semitic comments. Portia, now the wife of Antonio's friend, Bassanio, finally saves Antonio. Bassanio, the best friend of Antonio, is a spendthrift who wasted all of his money in order to be seen as a respectable man. He is determined to marry Portia, a wealthy and intelligent heiress of Belmont.  In the ensuing scenes, Portia’s speech about “the quality of mercy” plays an important part in the drama. Although the play’s main goal is to show the conflict between the right to property and the right to life, it also explains the ensuing minor clash between a parent’s will and a child’s right to choose.