Merchant Of Venice-The Trial Of Antonio

The Trial Of Antonio

Gratiano and Nerissa were in the room at the same time, and had been watching what was happening Gratiano now came forward and said he hoped Portia and Bassanio would be happy. He said that he and Nerissa I would like to be married at the same time. Portia and Bassanio were very pleased, and agreed at once.

But then something happened which worried them all a great deal. A messenger arrived with a letter for Bassanio from his friend Antonio, who had borrowed money from Shylock for him. Bassanio's face became pale as he read the letter. It contained very bad news. Portia quickly asked what had happened. And now, for the first time, Bassanio told her about the money that Antonio had given him. He told her too about Antonio's agreement with Shylock. In this letter, Antonio said that his ships had not come back to port; they had been wrecked at sea and all the valuable goods on them had been lost. Antonio had no money to pay back his debt to Shylock, and the date for him to do this had already passed. He would have to give Shylock a pound of his flesh. 'I am now certain to die, and want to see you,' Antonio wrote.

The messenger told them that Shylock had gone to the Duke of Venice to ask him to deal with the matter. Shylock wanted Antonio to pay him his pound of flesh immediately. And so poor Antonio was now in prison, waiting for his trial.

When Portia heard this terrible story, she wanted to help in any way she could. She offered to pay Shylock much more than the 3,000 ducats he was owed. She told Bassanio to go and help his friend as quickly as possible. However, Portia insisted on one thing: they must be married before Bassanio left Belmont. So all four of them Portia, Bassanio, Nerissa and Gratiano went at once to the church and were married. Bassanio and Gratiano then left their wives and went straight back to Venice.

Portia thought a great deal about the problem. She wanted to save Antonio's life, because he had been so generous to her husband, Bassanio. Finally, she wrote a letter to a cousin of hers, who was a well-known and clever lawyer. His name was Dr Bellario. She asked him for his advice, and she also asked him to lend her some lawyer's clothes. Dr. Bellario immediately sent her the clothes and told her how Antonio should be defended at his trial. Portia decided what she would do. She told her friends and servants that she was going away for a few quiet days until her husband returned. Then she told Nerissa about her plan. She had decided to go to Venice, and she wanted Nerissa to go with her. However, Portia did not want anyone to recognize her when she was there, so she and Nerissa dressed themselves up in men's clothes. They set off for Venice looking like two young men.

Bassanio and Gratiano arrived in Venice, where the trial would soon begin, under the direction of the Duke of Venice. Antonio and Shylock were brought before the Duke. The Duke asked Shylock to give up his cruel demand, and not to take a pound of Antonio's flesh. But Shylock would not agree. 'Antonio had made the and so he must keep it,' he said. Then Bassanio offered to pay Shylock twice as much money as he was owed. Still Shylock would not let Antonio go. 'The laws of Venice allow me to demand a flesh, because he has broken our agreement. I hate pound of Antonio's Antonio, and I will not be persuaded. I would rather have Antonio's flesh than any money I am offered.'Turning to the Duke, Shylock said, 'Will you permit me to do what I have a right to do, or have you no respect for the laws of Venice?'