The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare [Paperback]

The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play by William Shakespeare, likely written between 1596 and 1599. The story revolves around a Venetian merchant, Antonio, who borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to help his friend Bassanio woo the wealthy heiress, Portia. The loan comes with a dangerous condition: if Antonio cannot repay it on time, he must give Shylock a pound of his flesh. Antonio despises Shylock for lending money with interest, which he believes goes against Christian values. Though classified as a comedy, the play is known for its intense dramatic scenes, particularly Shylock’s famous "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech, which reflects on human suffering and prejudice, and Portia's eloquent speech about "the quality of mercy."