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A Jewish moneylender in Venice who has been embittered by years of abuse at the hands of Venetian Christians and Antonio, the merchant, in particular. Shylock's anger and bitterness lead him to sign a…
- Antonio
A prosperous Venetian merchant, liked and admired by his...
- Bassanio
A nobleman from Venice, who is a kinsman, close friend, and...
- Shylock
A Jewish moneylender in Venice who has been embittered by...
- Plot Summary
View all. In Venice, Bassanio, a not-so-wealthy nobleman,...
- Antonio
A short summary of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of The Merchant of Venice.
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Character List. Next. Shylock. A Jewish moneylender in Venice. Angered by his mistreatment at the hands of Venice’s Christians, particularly Antonio, Shylock schemes to eke out his revenge by ruthlessly demanding as payment a pound of Antonio’s flesh.
View all. In Venice, Bassanio, a not-so-wealthy nobleman, asks to borrow money from his dear friend and wealthy merchant Antonio, in order to have the funds to woo Portia, a wealthy noblewoman. Although Antonio doesn't have cash handy, because all of his ships are at sea, he gives Bassanio permission to borrow as much money as he needs on ...
- Antonio
- Bassanio
- Portia
- Shylock
- Jessica
- Lorenzo
- Gratiano
- Nerissa
- Launcelot Gobbo
- Gobbo
In William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Antonio is theVenetian merchant for whom the play is titled. He is Bassanio’s wealthy, loyal,and anti-Semitic friend. Bassanio asks Antonio to help him secure the funds heneeds to woo Portia, a wealthy heiress. Antonio agrees to borrow the money onBassanio’s behalf. The Jewish moneylender Shylock, wi...
Bassanio is the merchant Antonio’s “intimate friend” and the wealthy heiressPortia’s favored suitor. A young nobleman of Venice, Bassanio admits to livingbeyond his means. This has forced him to borrow money from Antonio on numerousoccasions. At the start of William Shakespeare's The Merchant ofVenice, Bassanio asks Antonio to lend him money so tha...
Portia is a beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy heiress from Belmont. Herfather’s will stipulates that she can only marry the man who manages to solve ariddle involving three caskets made of different metals. The caskets are madeof gold, silver, and lead. The person who successfully chooses the casket withPortia’s portrait in it wins her hand in ma...
Shylock is a wealthy Jewish moneylender from Venice and Jessica's father. Helends Antonio and Bassanio the 3,000 ducats that Bassanio needs to pursuePortia. However, Shylock stipulates that if Antonio defaults on the loan, hewill owe Shylock a pound of his flesh. This contract spurs the central plot ofthe play. When Antonio defaults on the loan, Sh...
Jessica is Shylock’s daughter. In a bid to escape her unhappy family home,she elopes with Lorenzo, a penniless Christian. She converts to Christianity asa consequence of marrying Lorenzo. Before leaving Shylock’s house, she steals achest full of ducats and family heirlooms. Among those heirlooms is a turquoisering given to Shylock by his late wife,...
Lorenzo is a penniless Christian who weds Shylock’s daughter, Jessica. Aftereloping, Jessica and Lorenzo travel to Belmont. Their marriage is initiallyunacknowledged by Shylock. However, after the trial, Antonio forces Shylock toformally acknowledge Lorenzo as his son-in-law. Antonio does so by stipulatingthat Shylock’s entire estate will be transf...
Gratiano is Antonio and Bassanio’s friend and Nerissa’s suitor. Heaccompanies Bassanio to Belmont. Gratiano is described as “wild,” “rude,” and“bold.” He is ill-mannered to the point that Bassanio orders him to behavehimself if he wants to come to Belmont. Gratiano is one of the most openlyanti-Semitic characters in the play. During the trial in ac...
Nerissa is Portia’s “woman-in-waiting.” After Bassanio successfullycompletes the casket test, Nerissa weds Bassanio’s friend Gratiano. Throughoutthe play, Nerissa serves as Portia’s closest friend, ally, and co-conspirator.She supports Portia’s desire to wed Bassanio and commends him highly. However,Nerissa does not shy away from speaking her mind....
Launcelot Gobbo begins the play as Shylock’s servant and ends it asBassanio’s servant. He is a bright young man who enjoys wordplay. He resentsthe treatment he receives from Shylock and helps Jessica elope with Lorenzo.Launcelot’s testimony helps create contrast between Shylock and Bassanio:whereas Shylock is described as miserly and devilish, Bass...
Old Gobbo is Launcelot’s aged, blind father. He cares deeply for his son,going so far as to bring gifts to Shylock, Launcelot’s master. When Launcelotwants to become Bassanio’s servant instead, Old Gobbo agrees to help him.
Mar 7, 2024 · The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare | Summary & Characters. by TEAM Literopedia. March 7, 2024. in British Literature. 0. 153. SHARES. William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” is a renowned play that combines elements of comedy, romance, and drama. Set in Venice, Italy, the play explores themes of love, greed, revenge, and justice.
Modern audiences of Merchant of Venice often mistake Shylock for the "merchant" of the title—which actually refers to Antonio. The best study guide to The Merchant of Venice on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need.
