"The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare is a play written between 1596 and 1598. When Antonio defaults on a loan from Jewish moneylender Shylock, taken to help his friend Bassanio woo the wealthy Portia, the consequences threaten to be fatal. Shylock demands his contractual right: a pound of Antonio's flesh. Though classified as a comedy, the play is best remembered for its dramatic courtroom scenes and Shylock's famous speeches on humanity and justice. (This is an automatically generated summary.)