No Fear Shakespeare Merchant Of Venicepdf Guide

The play is set in Venice and Belmont, and revolves around the lives of several characters. Bassanio, a poor and debt-ridden nobleman, asks his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant, for a loan to woo Portia. Antonio's money is tied up in his shipping ventures, so he borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, with the condition that if the loan is not repaid, Shylock can claim a pound of Antonio's flesh as collateral.