Merchant Of Venice-The Young Lawyer

The Young Lawyer

The Duke had to admit that the law did allow Shylock to refuse the money instead of Antonio's flesh. He liked Antonio, but did not dare to treat him differently from any other citizen. The law said that anyone who makes an agreement must keep it. If Shylock insisted, Antonio would have to die. Shylock did insist. He thought to himself, 'At last I shall be able to treat Antonio in the way he deserves. I do not pity him at all. This proud merchant always hated me and made others hate me too. I will not forgive him.'

The Duke had already written to a famous lawyer asking him to come to Venice to advise him about this difficult problem. The man to whom he had written was Dr Bellario Portia's cousin, who had shown her how Antonio could be defended. As Shylock would not show any mercy to Antonio, the Duke decided to wait for Dr Bellario. 'Perhaps this clever lawyer can find a way to save Antonio's life,' he thought.

Just as the Duke decided to do this, a clerk came in. He said he had brought a letter from Dr Bellario. In this letter, Dr Bellario wrote that he was ill, and would not be able to come to the trial. However, he asked if a young lawyer friend of his could come instead. The Duke agreed to do as Dr Bellario asked, and he invited the young lawyer to come in.

The clerk who brought the letter for the Duke was really Nerissa, dressed as a man. The young lawyer was really Portia, who was dressed in the lawyer's clothes that Dr Bellario had lent her. The Duke was surprised when he saw how young the lawyer was, but he asked him to defend Antonio.

Portia turned to Shylock and asked him to show mercy to Antonio. 'Mercy,' she said, 'rewards not only the man who receives it, but also the man who gives it. We pray to God, hoping he will show us mercy, and we should show mercy to other people.' But Shylock would not listen to her.

'I only ask to be paid what I am owed,' he said. 'Can he pay back the money you lent him?' asked Portia.

Bassanio quickly said, 'He can pay it, and he is willing to pay more. I can pay ten times as much for Antonio.' Bassanio begged the lawyer to forget about the exact words of the law, in order to save a life.

'No,' said Portia, 'I cannot allow that. If we do not insist that this man obeys the law now, other people may follow his bad example, and the whole country will suffer.'

Shylock was delighted when he heard this answer.

'Oh, what a wise young judge!' he cried happily. He expected the trial to end very soon. He praised the young lawyer and laughed at Antonio. Portia then asked to see the agreement Antonio and Shylock had signed. She read it, and agreed that Shylock could have his pound of flesh. Then Portia turned to Antonio and commanded him to uncover his chest. Shylock was ready to kill Antonio. He called out, 'Oh, noble judge!

Oh, wonderful young man!' Antonio thought he was going to die. He said goodbye to his friend Bassanio, and asked him to tell Portia why he had died. Bassanio was very unhappy, and he replied that he would give anything he had to save Antonio if he could. He would even be willing to 5 lose his own life to help Antonio.

'Now,' said Portia to Shylock, 'take the pound of flesh that is owed to you. Cut it from this man's chest.'

Shylock had his knife in his hand as he moved forward. He was ready to cut out Antonio's heart. 'Oh, wise judge! Oh, wise young judge!' he cried. To Antonio he cried, 'Prepare yourself!'