Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scenes 1 to 3 Summary

Act 1 - Scene 1

The Merchant of Venice opens with Antonio, a Venetian merchant, complaining to his friends that he has been feeling upset. His friends, Salarino and Solanio, suggest that he could simply be worried about his ships.   Salarino and Solanio exit as Bassanio, Lorenzo and Gratiano enter. Gratiano playfully chides Antonio for being so solemn before he and Lorenzo leave the stage   Bassanio is desperately in need of money to woo Portia, a wealthy heiress who lives in the city of Belmont. He asks Antonio for a loan in order to travel in style to Portia’s estate to make a good impression. Antonio wants to help his friend, but all of his wealth is invested in his ships at sea.   As a solution, however, Antonio authorizes Bassanio to try to raise a loan using Antonio's good name as collateral for credit.    Analysis: The first scene of The Merchant of Venice provides exposition into the characters and their backgrounds. For example, we learn that Antonio is a wealthy Christian merchant who regularly takes risks in his investments.    Despite money playing an important role in the play, the conversation throughout this opening scene is not really about business, but rather Antonio’s emotional state. Antonio worried about being melancholy and his friends are determined to help him. We may infer that money is very important to these men, but they value friendship more.   There is a contrast seen between Antonio's melancholy state and the frolicsome language and whimsy of Salarino and Solanio. This illustrates the dangers that the merchant of Venice will face, contrasting the world of youth and laughter which will be the background to the love stories of the play.   From this scene, we see the true friendship and loyalty between Antonio and Bassanio. When Bassanio asks for help, Antonio promptly offers all of his money and credit, insisting that they go straightaway to a lender so he can stand as security for Bassanio.    Important Quotes: "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me; you say it wearies you. But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff ’tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn." - Antonio   "Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff—you shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you have them they are not worth the search." - Bassanio   "You know me well, and herein spend but time To wind about my love with circumstance. And out of doubt you do me now more wrong In making question of my uttermost Than if you had made waste of all I have. Then do but say to me what I should do That in your knowledge may by me be done, And I am pressed unto it." - Antonio

Act 1 - Scene 2

At Belmont, Portia tells her waiting-maid, Nerissa, that she has grown melancholy because of her dead father's wishes.    According to her father's will, Portia can't marry a man of her own choosing. Instead, she must make herself available to all suitors and accept the one who chooses correctly from "three chests of gold, silver and lead". The man who guesses correctly will win Portia’s hand in marriage, but those who guess incorrectly must swear never to marry anyone.   Nerissa attempts to comfort Portia by telling her to trust her father's judgement. Nerissa lists all of the suitors who have come to visit and Portia criticises each of them for their hilarious faults. Fortunately, all of the suitors left before guessing which chest is correct in fear of guessing incorrectly.   A servant enters to tell Portia that the prince of Morocco will arrive soon, news that Portia is not at all happy to hear.   Analysis: Portia is introduced as the heroine of the play. Portia is a woman who is not only fair but quite impressive for her wit, for her agility of mind and for her sharp, satiric intelligence. Her adherence to her father’s will establishes an important aspect of her character: she plays by the rules. Her strict adherence to laws and other strictures makes her an interesting counterpoint to Shylock, the play’s villain, whom we meet in the next scene.   Shakespeare provides the audience with caricatures of the other European nations at this time. The Neapolitan prince only talks about his horse, the German suitor is a drunkard, and the Scottish lord is defined by his anger towards the English.   The casket test seems designed to give an equal chance to all of these different noblemen, so the competition for Portia’s hand in Belmont parallels the financial community of Venice, which is also organized to include men of many nations, Christian and non-Christian alike.   Important Quotes: "Your father was ever virtuous, and holy men at their death have good inspirations. Therefore the lottery that he hath devised in these three chests of gold, silver, and lead, whereof who chooses his meaning chooses you, will no doubt never be chosen by any rightly but one who shall rightly love. " - Nerissa   "If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana unless I be obtained by the manner of my father’s will. I am glad this parcel of wooers are so reasonable, for there is not one among them but I dote on his very absence." - Portia  

Act 1 - Scene 3

Bassanio seeks out Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, for a loan of three thousand ducats on the strength of Antonio's credit. Bassanio assures Shylock that Antonio will guarantee the loan, but Shylock is hesitant because Antonio’s wealth is currently invested in ventures that may fail. Finally, Shylock decides that Antonio’s guarantee of the loan will be sufficient assurance, and asks to speak with him.    When Antonio arrives, Shylock declares to the audience that he hates him for being a Christian and for condemning him for charging interest on his loans. Antonio makes it clear that he is not in the habit of borrowing or lending money, but has decided to make an exception on behalf of Bassanio. Their conversation leads Antonio to chastise the business of lending, which Shylock defends instantly.   While he calculates the interest on the loan, Shylock thinks of all of the times that Antonio has cursed him. Antonio responds that he is likely to do so again, and insists that Shylock lend him the money as an enemy. Such an arrangement will make it easier for Shylock to exact a harsh penalty if the loan is not repaid.   Stating that he'd like to be friends, Shylock offers the loan without interest. Instead, he suggests that Antonio forfeit a pound of his own flesh should the loan not be repaid within three months. Bassino becomes worried but Antonio assures him that once his ships return, he will be able to pay Shylock back three times over. Shylock insists that the penalty is merely a jest and that a pound of human flesh would have no real value to him.    Analysis: Shakespeare often uses the devices of asides and soliloquies to allow characters a chance to immediately make clear their intentions and motivations to the audience as Shylock does here. Shylock's declaration of hatred towards Antonio creates a sense of warning for the audience.   Though the Christian characters of The Merchant of Venice may view Jews as evil, Shylock does not see himself in that way. His views of himself and others are rational, articulate, and consistent.  Shylock is an outcast before the play begins, vilified and spat upon by the Christian characters.    Antonio and Shylock are diametrical opposites. Shylock is cunning, cautious, and crafty; he belongs to a race that is constantly persecuted. As a Christian, Antonio is easy-going, trusting and naive. Shylock trusts only in the tangible, i.e. the bond. Antonio trusts in the intangible, that is, in luck. Shylock seems almost paranoid and vengeful, but on the other hand, Antonio seems ignorantly over-confident, lacking common sense.    Shylock is able to cite the New Testament as readily as Jewish scripture, as he shows in his remark about the pig being the animal into which Christ drove the devil. Antonio uses this to compare Shylock to the devil, who, proverbially, is also adept at quoting scripture.   Important Quotes: "Yes—to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into. I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following, but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. " - Shylock   "I hate him for he is a Christian, But more for that in low simplicity He lends out money gratis and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice." - Shylock   "Mark you this, Bassanio, The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, A goodly apple rotten at the heart." - Antonio   "Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me." - Shylock   "The Hebrew will turn Christian. He grows kind." - Antonio