The Merchant of Venice: Study Guide

The Merchant of Venice is the story of a Jewish moneylender who demands that an antisemitic Christian offer “a pound of flesh” as collateral against a loan. First performed in 1598, Shakespeare’s study of religious difference remains controversial. Read a character analysis of Shylock, plot summary and important quotes.

Summary

Read a Plot Overview of the entire play or a scene by scene Summary and Analysis.

Plot Overview
Key Questions and Answers
What Does the Ending Mean?

Summary & Analysis
Act I, scenes i–ii
Act I, scene iii
Act II, scenes i–iv
Act II, scenes v–ix
Act III, scenes i–ii
Act III, scenes iii–v
Act IV, scene i, lines 1–163
Act IV, scene i, lines 164–396
Act IV, scene i, lines 397–453; scene ii
Act V, scene i

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in The Merchant of Venice and in-depth analyses of Shylock, Portia, Antonio, Jessica, and Bassanio.

Character List
Shylock
Portia
Antonio
Jessica
Bassanio

Main Ideas

Here's where you'll find analysis about the play as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to analysis of style, tone, point of view, and more.

Themes
Plot Analysis
Protagonist
Antagonist
Setting
Motifs
Symbols
Genre
Style
Point of View
Tone
Foreshadowing
Key Facts
Is Shylock a Villain?

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes.

Important Quotes Explained

Quotes by Theme
Friendship
Wealth
Prejudice
Revenge
Love

Quotes by Section
Act I, scenes i-ii
Act I, scene iii
Act II, scenes i-iv
Act II, scenes v-ix
Act III, scenes i-ii
Act III, scenes iii-v
Act IV, scene i
Act V, scene i

Quotes by Character
Portia
Shylock
Antonio
Bassanio
Jessica

Further Study

Test your knowledge of The Merchant of Venice with our quizzes and study questions, or go further with essays on the context and background and links to the best resources around the web.