Maung Thein Lwin - Shakespeare's Stories (1)

The Merchant of Venice

Characters (people in the story)

Antonio: A merchant from Venice Bassanio: His friend, Veretiano: Another friend, Persia

In love with Bassanio

A wealthy woman, Narissa, is the servant of her husband, Veretti.

A Jewish moneylender who is in love with Thanh, Jessica • His daughter

Lorenzo - The Governor of Venice, who is in love with Jessica, Prince Arwan of Morocco, who wants to marry Paul.

Once upon a time, in Venice, Italy, there lived a man named Antonio. He was a great merchant. He owned many ships that traded with distant foreign countries. He was both rich and kind.

Antonio's greatest friend was a young soldier, Bassanio, who loved a beautiful lady called Portia. But Bassanio was not a wealthy man, and he did not like to ask Portia to marry him, because she was as rich as she was beautiful. At last, however, he asked Antonio to lend him some money, so that he could visit Portia at Belmont, where she lived, and at least find out if she loved him.

It happened that at this time all Antonio's ships were at sea, and until they returned he had no money to lend Bassanio.

Antonio's best friend is a young soldier named Sonny Yo, who is in love with a beautiful girl named Wa. But.. he is not a rich man, so he does not dare to ask Wa to marry him. He hesitates to propose, because she is as beautiful as she is rich • • and has a lot of money, and finally.. he begs Danny to lend him money, so that he can go to the city of Belmont, where Wa is ••, (whatever) at least... he wants to know if Portia loves him back, or not (reveals herself)...

At that time, as luck would have it, all the ships were at sea. There was no money to lend Bassanio until the ships returned.

'But go to a money-lender,' he said to his friend. "Borrow the money you need from him, and tell him that, when my ships come in, I will pay him back all that he has lent you."

Now, there lived in Venice and an old Jew named Shylock. The Jews in those days were the money-lenders of Venice. They lent money, but they forced people to pay so heavily for the loan that the Jews themselves became very rich. Shylock was one of the greediest Jews in Venice. Antonio hated him for his wicked ways, and he had often insulted the Jew and spoken rudely to him. For this reason, Shylock beat Antonio too, and was anxious to avenge the insults.

"But... go to a moneylender..., borrow from him the money you need..., tell him that when my ships return, I will give you all the money you have borrowed..." he said to his friend.

At that time... there lived in Venice a Jew named Shiloh, an old man. In those days the Jews were moneylenders in Venice. They lent money, but they exacted a high interest on the money they paid, so the Jews became very rich. Shiloh was one of the greediest Jews, and Antonio hated him for his wicked and unpleasant deeds, so he often insulted and spoke rudely to him, and for that reason... Shiloh hated Antonio. He had a strong desire to take revenge for these insults.

Bassanio, knowing that Shylock was very rich, went to him to borrow the money he needed. Shylock was delighted when he heard that Anaonio had promised to pay back the loan. He thought that his enemy had been given into his hands, and he made a wicked plan. He pretended to be generous, and said he would lend Bassanio the money and would not charge him anything for the loan.

"But Antonio must pay me back in three months,' Shylock said. And, just for a joke, he must sign a bond promising that I may cut off a pound of flesh from his body if the money is not paid.'