- A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.
- By the eccentric will of her father, Portia, a beautiful and accomplished lady of Belmont, is left a large fortune. That she may not become the victim of a fortune hunter or a man unworthy of her, the will reads that all suitors for her hand must agree to choose from three caskets and that he who guesses rightly shall wed her, while the rejected suitors are sworn to drop their suit and forever remain unwed. The weaker suitors for her hand are dismayed at the exactments of the testament and abandon their purpose. But there remains two of the suitors, the Prince of Morocco, and Prince Arrogan, who are willing to sign away their very lives to win the lady. Portia is cold alike to the suit of these two intrepid noblemen, because she has already loved a young Venetian, named Bassanio. Bassanio, although he loves Portia deeply, feels that he cannot compete to hold a rival place with either of the noblemen owing to his slender means. He explains his love for Portia as well as his predicament to Antonio, his beloved friend and merchant of Venice. Although his entire fortune is sunk in certain cargoes which are now at sea, Antonio plans to raise money on his credit to speed Bassanio in his wooing. The two friends go to Shylock, a money lender, who has been persecuted and scorned, and thus holds all Christians in hatred. Shylock has a daughter, Jessica, who loves Lorenzo, a Christian and friend of Antonio and Bassanio. The money lender agrees to loan Antonio the sum of 3,000 ducats, and a bond is forthwith executed to the effect that if the money is not repaid within three months, Antonio is to forfeit a pound of his own fair flesh. Shylock pretends to exact this forfeit in fun, merely to satisfy the technical requirement of the bond, but in it he sees a possible opportunity to satisfy the grudge he bears against Antonio. The merchant believes that his ships will return at least a month before the day of forfeiture. Bassanio unwillingly accepts the money from Antonio and hurries to Belmont to pursue his wooing. Further increasing Shylock's hatred of Christians, his daughter, Jessica, taking with her gold and jewels, elopes with Lorenzo. In the meantime Portia's princely suitors have put their sagacity to the test, in the matter of each choosing a casket, and failed. Of the three caskets, one is of gold, another of silver, and a third of lead. Both these suitors were misled by the outside show and were dismissed. Bassanio closes the leaden casket and upon opening it finds that he is the fortunate suitor. Portia gives him a ring which he is to guard as dearly as his life. However, his joy is short-lived because he receives word from Antonio that his ships have all miscarried and that his bond to Shylock is forfeited. Bassanio explains the object of his grief to Portia, and the good lady forces upon him six thousand ducats with instructions to deface the bond. Portia writes to her learned cousin, Dr. Bellario, requesting that she be allowed to take his place at the trial of Antonio. Dr. Bellario consents and Portia is furnished with the proper credentials introducing her companion, Nerissa, as a doctor's clerk. The two women disguise themselves and hurry to the Court of Justice. In the meantime the trial is under way. Shylock has refused to exercise any measure of pity. He has refused to accept six times the amount of the bond and demands a pound of the merchant's flesh cut off at a point nearest his heart. Antonio gives up his case and says farewell to his unhappy friend Bassanio, while Shylock whets his knife and prepares to take the forfeit of the bond. Portia, disguised as a young doctor and well supplied with legal advice, arrives with Nerissa. She is already acquainted with the particulars of the case, but she advises Shylock to show mercy. He refuses and Portia tells him that the pound of flesh is his and that he may take it. Antonio bares his breast and Shylock prepares to cut. But at the final moment Portia calls a halt upon him and advises him: "Take thou thy pound of flesh, but in cutting it, if thou dost shed one drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods are confiscated unto the State of Venice." Shylock then demands his principal and that he be allowed to leave. But this cannot be as he refused it in open court. Portia then shows Shylock wherein he is guilty of seeking the life of a citizen and that by the law Antonio has the life of a citizen, and that by the law Antonio has the right to seize one-half his goods. The court grants Shylock his life with the understanding that half of his goods go to the state and the remainder to his daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Lorenzo. In payment for her legal services, Portia begs that Bassanio give her the ring he wears. Antonio prevails upon his friend to consent and Portia goes away with the ring. When the party of happy friends are again reunited at Portia's mansion, she returns the ring to Bassanio, recalling to him his oath. Thus, Bassanio learns that the young doctor of law was Portia.—Moving Picture World synopsis
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