The leading incidents of the play are soon told.  Antonio, the Merchant, has a strange mood of sadness upon him, and a parcel of his friends are bending their wits to play it off.  Among them, and dearer to him than any of the rest, is one Bassanio, a gentleman who, young and generous, has lavished his fortune.  Bassanio’s heart is turning towards a wealthy heiress who, highly famed for gifts and virtues, resides not many miles off; and from whose eyes he has received “fair speechless messages.”  But he wants “the means to hold a rival place” among her princely suitors.  Antonio’s wealth and credit are freely pledged to his service.  His funds, however, being all embarked in ventures at sea, he tries his credit with a rich Jew, whose person he has often insulted, and whose greed his Christian liberality has often thwarted.  The Jew, feigning a merry humour, consents to lend the sum, provided Antonio sign a bond authorizing him, in case of forfeiture, to cut a pound of flesh from whatever part of his body he may choose.  Antonio readily agrees to this, and so furnishes his friend for the loving enterprise.  Bassanio prosecutes his suit to the lady with success.  But, while yet in his first transports of joy, he learns that Antonio’s ventures at sea have all miscarried, and that the Jew, with malignant earnestness, claims the forfeiture.  Leaving his bride the moment he has sworn the sweet oath, he hastens away, resolved to save his friend’s life at the expense, if need be, of his own.

Thereupon his virgin wife forthwith gets instructions from the most learned lawyer in those parts, and, habiting herself as a doctor of laws, repairs to the trial.  To divert the Jew from his purpose, she taxes her wisdom and persuasion to the utmost, but in vain:  scorning the spirit of Justice, and deaf to the voice of Mercy, both of which speak with heavenly eloquence from Portia’s lips; rejecting thrice the amount of the bond, and standing immoveable on the letter of the law; he pushes his revenge to the very point of making the fatal incision, when she turns the letter of the law against him, strips him of penalty, principal, and all, and subjects even his life to the mercy of the Duke.  As the condition of his life, he is required to sign a deed securing all his wealth to his daughter who, loaded with his ducats and jewels, has lately eloped with another of Antonio’s friends, and is staying at Portia’s mansion during her absence.  The play winds up with the hastening of all the parties, except the Jew, to Portia’s home.  When all have met, Portia announces to Antonio the safe return of his ships supposed to be lost, and surprises the fugitive lovers with the news of their good fortune.

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