Merchant of Venice

Shakespeare's play from his formative years is regarded as the best and most provocative comedy of all time. As a result, it illustrates the interaction between retribution and cunning, which carries the overarching theme of virtue triumphing over evil. To assist his buddy Bassanio in getting married to Portia, the love of his life, Antonio, a trader from Venice, borrows money from the greedy loan shark Shylock. He actually provides himself as security for the debt by consenting to Shylock's terms-to have a pound of his flesh removed from his body-and Shylock is now demanding his flesh. Portia steps in to save Antonio. The rest of the narrative focuses on how she outwits Shylock. The drama makes an insightful remark on the racial and religious interactions in 16th-century English society. The play's themes include the divine attributes of mercy and compassion that reside beneath the flesh, which are reiterated over the length of the play.