Merchant Of Venice-Parts

Shylock Is Defeated

Before he could use his knife to make even the smallest cut in Antonio's skin, Portia stopped him.

'Wait!' she said. 'I have something else to say. The words of this agreement say clearly that you may take "a pound of flesh". But there is nothing in it to say that you may take even one drop of blood. Antonio's flesh you may take, but if you spill a single drop of blood, then all your property must be given to the State. That is the law of Venice. Shylock stood completely still. He was so surprised and annoyed he could hardly speak. 'Is what the law commands?' he asked. Portia offered to show him the law on the subject. Gratiano could see how Shylock was, and now he cried out, 'Oh, wise judge! See, Shylock, what a wise judge he is!' angry.

Shylock then remembered that Bassanio had offered to pay back the money, and even to pay him more. 'I will accept your offer,' he said to Bassanio. 'Pay back three times as much as I lent Antonio, and then I will let him go.'

'Here it is,' said Bassanio, holding out the money. But Portia would not allow this. A little while ago, Shylock had refused the money, so now he should have nothing, she said.

Shylock, very angry, was about to leave, when Portia called him back. 'Wait!' she said. "There is another law we must remember. If anyone plans to kill a citizen of Venice, half his property must be given to that citizen. The other half must be given to the State. And the Duke may order any other punishment he thinks is right. Kneel in front of him and pray for mercy.'

Shylock had so recently refused mercy to Antonio that he could not now expect mercy for himself. But the Duke was not as cruel as the moneylender.

I will show you that men can be much kinder to each other than you think. You will not lose will tell you this even before you ask me to save you. your life; I But you must give half your money and property to Antonio, and half to the State.'

And now Antonio showed mercy moneylender. 'I will not take my share of Shylock's wealth. But he must become a Christian,' he said. to the

Shylock was also forced to sign a will. This will say that Jessica, his daughter, and Lorenzo, her husband, should receive all of Shylock's money when he died. Lorenzo was a good friend of Antonio's. Not long ago, Jessica had run away from her father and secretly married Lorenzo, a Christian. She had taken some money and jewels with her when she left home, and Shylock had been very angry. At first he could only shout, 'My daughter! Oh, my money! Oh, my daughter! She has run away with a Christian! How can the law help me now? Oh, my money, my daughter!' Shylock seemed to be just as worried about his money as he was about his daughter. The moneylender had said that he would not leave Jessica any money when he died, and he would never forgive her.

The Jew now knew that he must obey Portia's and Antonio's commands. 'I am ill,' he cried. 'Let me go home. Send the agreement to my house. I will sign it.' So the Duke let Shylock go, and the trial ended.

Portia's Trick

During the trial, everyone had been very surprised to see how young and wise the lawyer was. But no one had suspected that the lawyer was really Portia. Even Bassanio had not guessed. Portia had changed her appearance and voice so cleverly that her own husband could not recognize her.