Antonio and Bassanio
A merchant called Antonio lived in Venice. Everyone in
Venice liked Antonio becausė he was a good man. He
was always ready to help anyone who came to him.
Antonio had many ships which traded with other
countries. At the time of our story, his ships were all
at sea.
The friend whom Antonio loved the most was called
Bassanio. When Bassanio's father died, he gave his son a
lot of money. But Bassanio soon spent it all; he became
poor and very unhappy.
One day Bassanio told Antonio that he was in love
with Portia, a rich and beautiful lady who lived at
Belmont, near Venice. Portia's father gave her all his
money on his death, so she was very rich. Bassanio was
sad because he could never ask Portia to marry him
while he himself had no money. He knew that many
rich young men were going to Belmont to try to marry
Portia. So he asked Antonio to lend* him three thousand
ducats (the money of Venice at that time).
Please lend me the money. I will pay it back to you
later,' he said. IfI had enough money, I would go to
Belmont and ask the beautiful Portia to marry me.
I haven't any money just now,' Antonio replied. 'All
my money and goods are at sea. I am waiting for my
ships to return. Find someone who knows me and will
lend money to me. Then I will get the money and lend
it to you so that you can go to Belmont and marry
Portia.
what has happened in the past and lend you the money.
Then he pretended to laugh. 'Let us play a game: if you
do not pay back the money at the end of three months,'
he said, 'you must promise to give me a pound of your
flesh*; you must allow me to cut the flesh from any part
of your body."
Shylock
Bassanio went to a man who lent money. The money-
lender's name was Shylock. Shylock had a lot of money,
but he loved it too much. He used to lend his money to
merchants and then make them pay back much more
than they had borrowed*. Therefore the merchants of
Venice did not like Shylock. Antonio used to warn other
merchants about Shylock.
Antonio laughed too and agreed to this: he did not
think that Shylock really meant what he said. But
Bassanio was afraid. He said, I think Shylock will do
what he says. I don't want you to get money from
Shylock.
Shylock had never liked Antonio.
Antonio is kind and will lend his money to anyone,
he said. 'He never makes people pay him back more than
they borrowed. He makes things difficult for me.
'Don't be afraid,' said Antonio. In two months my
ships will return and bring me plenty of money.
Shylock was a dangerous man. He would not let
anyone see that he was an enemy of Antonio. When
Bassanio asked Shylock to lend him three thousand
ducats for three months, Shylock knew that Antonio
would soon be in his power!
So Antonio borrowed the money from Shylock and
gave it to Bassanio.
The three boxes
I shall never forgive Antonio,' he said to himself.
I shall not be happy till I have caught him.
Before he died, Portia's father thought of a way to find
a good husband for his daughter. He thought, I am
afraid that many young men will want to marry Portia
because she is rich. So I shall leave three small boxes
one box made of gold, another made of silver, and the
third made of lead. The man who wants to marry Portia
must choose* the right box."
Shylock remembered the times when Antonio had
said unpleasant things to him.
You do not like the way I make my money, Shylock
told Antonio when they met. "You have called me a dog
and treated me like a dog. Now you come to me to ask
for money. Does a dog have money? Can a dog lenda
person three thousand ducats? Shall I bow to you and
thank you for treating me like a dog? And shall I lend
you money?
Portia and her servant Nerissa were talking about all
the young men who had come to try to win Portia.
A servant came into the room.
A prince has come from Africa, he said.
But Antonio was not afraid.
Portia showed the prince all the boxes, and the prince
On the gold box were the words: The man who
On the silver box were the words: The man who
If you lend me money,' he replied, 'don't lend it to
me as you would lend it to a friend. Lend it to me as you
would lend it to an enemy. If I can't pay you back, you
carefully read everything that was written on each box.
chooses me shall get what many men wish for."
chooses me shall get as much as he ought to get.
can make me suffer for it.
I want to be your friend,' said Shylock. I shall forget
