Name : ANIS SAFIRA

NPM : 18420119 (3D)

1. Define the type of the drama perform in the movie

Romance
2. Examine the elements of the movie
a. Theme : Fighting for love
b. Plot : Linear
c. Characters
 Shylock : rich man, Jessica's father
 Antonio : rich man, merchant
 Bassanio : Antonio's friend, man that loves Portia
 Portia : Heir
 Lorenzo : man that fall in love with Jessica
 Tubal : Shylock's friend
 Leonardo : Bassanio's slave
 Jessica : Shylock daughter
d. Setting
 Place : Venice, Belmont
 Time : morning, afternoon, evening
SYNOPSIS

The Merchant of Venice opens on a street in Venice (there are streets and

not just canals in Venice—who knew?) where Antonio, a Venetian merchant,
complains of a sadness he can't quite explain. His friends suggest they'd be sad too
if they had as much merchandise to worry about as Antonio. Apparently all of his
money is tied up in various sea ventures to exotic locales. But Antonio is certain
it's not money that's bothering him.

Antonio's friend Bassanio enters the scene, and we learn that Bassanio has
been at the forefront of Antonio's mind. Apparently Bassanio just got back from a
secret trip to see an heiress named Portia in Belmont. Bassanio financed his trip
(and in fact, his entire lifestyle) by borrowing tons of money from Antonio. Portia
is beautiful, intelligent, and, most important, rich. If Bassanio could only get
together the appearance of some wealth, he would be in a good position to
compete with all the other guys vying for Portia's attention. If they marry, he's all
set financially. Antonio would be happy to lend Bassanio the money he needs to
woo Portia, except, as we know, all of Antonio's money is at sea. The two friends
part ways, agreeing that they'll try to raise the funds on Antonio's credit around
town.

Meanwhile, even rich heiresses have their troubles. Portia is plagued by

suitors from the four corners of the earth but isn't allowed to choose the one she
wants. Instead, her father, before his death, devised an unusual test. Three caskets
—one gold, one silver, and one lead—are laid out before each suitor, and whoever
picks the right one gets the girl. (It sounds like a twist on Goldilocks and the
Three Bears.) Portia complains about all of the important men who come to see
her, as there's something wrong with each of them.

As Portia is trying to figure out how to avoid marrying, Bassanio is trying

to figure out how to marry her. He negotiates with the Jewish moneylender,
Shylock, asking for 3,000 gold coins (ducats). Bassanio borrows the money on his
friend Antonio's credit. Trouble is, Antonio is an anti-Semite (he is prejudiced
against Jewish people) and is offensive to Shylock whenever he has the chance. 

Slyly, Shylock says he'll try out Antonio's method of business by lending
him the money interest-free. But, this is on the condition that Antonio signs a
bond promising that if the debt goes unpaid, Antonio will give Shylock a pound of
his own flesh. This seems like a good idea at the time (um, it does?) as Antonio is
sure he'll have earned the money from his ships before Shylock's due date.

Before we have time to think about what a crazy idea it is to promise

anyone a pound of your flesh, we're back at Belmont learning the rules of the
casket game. Choose wrong, and not only do you fail to get Portia, but you cannot
marry anyone for the rest of your life. We see suitors fail when they choose the
wrong caskets.

Meanwhile, Jessica (Shylock's only child) tells us that living in Shylock's

house is pure hell and that she's ashamed to be his daughter. Ouch. She has
decided to elope with Lorenzo and convert to Christianity. Jessica gets her chance
to carry out her rebellious scheme when her dad leaves the house to go to dinner.
As soon as he is out the door, Jessica steals off with her lover, Lorenzo, and helps
herself to a chunk of Dad's cash.

Bassanio and some of his pals set off for Belmont in hopes that Bassanio will snag
the beautiful and rich Portia.

Back in gossipy Venice, we hear that Antonio's ships have been sinking
left and right. Shylock shows up, still mad about his daughter's rebellion, but he's
excited to hear that he'll get to take a pound of flesh from his enemy Antonio. He
explains to the gossipy men that he hates Antonio because Antonio hates him for
being Jewish. Shylock then gives a beautiful speech in defense of the humanity of
Jews, including the well-known line "if you prick us, do we not bleed?" 

He concludes that a Jew is not unlike a Christian, and a Christian in this

situation would seek revenge. Therefore, he will do the same, because the
Christians have taught him hatred with their cruelty. Shylock is further angered to
hear reports that his daughter is off lavishly spending his money, so he sets up
arrangements to have Antonio jailed, cut, and killed.

Back in Belmont, Portia is batting off the men. But she is truly excited by
Bassanio. Bassanio impressively chooses the lead casket (correct!) and wins
Portia and her wealth. Portia is falling all over herself with love for Bassanio
when Lorenzo and Jessica arrive with news that Antonio is about to die at
Shylock's command. Portia offers to pay off Antonio's debt, and she and Bassanio
have a quick (as in shotgun-quick) wedding before she sends Bassanio back to
Venice with twenty times the debt owed to Shylock. Portia gives Bassanio a ring
and makes him promise never to take it off, which we're sure is going to be
significant sometime soon.

Meanwhile, Portia has hatched a plan to cross-dress and pose as a lawyer

to argue Antonio's defense at his trial. She tells Lorenzo to look after her house,
disguises herself and Nerissa as men, and sets off for Venice in a hurry. Also,
Graziano randomly marries Nerissa.

The scene moves to the court in Venice. Everyone has tried to plead with
Shylock, but he won't hear reason. He wants justice, and that means having a
pound of Antonio's flesh, as promised. It seems there's no hope until a young,
effeminate-looking man shows up who happens to be a learned lawyer. He is
called Balthazar (a.k.a. Portia).

Portia (as Balthazar) then begins to argue that Shylock should have mercy
on Antonio, as mercy is a higher order good than justice. Shylock says he doesn't
need mercy, he's fine with just justice, thank you very much. There's no way
anyone can get around it—Antonio signed the bond, the Duke won't bend the
rules, and Shylock won't relent. Antonio doesn't care if he dies. Bassanio says he
wishes he could trade his wife and his life for Antonio's, which does not please his
wife, but she doesn't say anything because she's disguised in drag.

Portia (as Balthazar) gets Antonio ready to go under the knife, but she
stops just short as Shylock is sharpening his knife. She says the bond entitles
Shylock to a pound of flesh, but if he spills a drop of Christian blood, then he'll be
guilty of plotting to murder a Venetian Christian, the penalty for which is losing
everything he has. Shylock says something like, "Fine, just give me the three-
times-the-debt cash you offered me earlier," and Portia replies, "Actually, that
offer's not on the table anymore." Then he says, "Okay, just give me the 3,000
back," and she returns, "Actually, that's not on the table either."

The slippery downward slope continues until Shylock declares that, fine,
he'll just leave, and Portia stops him and says since he conspired to kill a Venetian
he actually has to forfeit everything he owns. And beg for his life.

Finally holding the upper hand, Antonio decides that as punishment,

Shylock has to sign an agreement saying that when he dies, all his money will go
to Jessica and her new Christian husband. Also, Shylock must convert to
Christianity. Shylock leaves a totally broken man.

Portia grabs Nerissa and tries to get home before the men return and find
out their wives were the ones in court that day. Antonio and Bassanio try to get
Balthazar to accept a gift before he goes, and though Portia (as Balthazar) tries to
refuse it, the men press her. She asks for Bassanio's ring (which is really her ring,
symbolizing their marriage trust). Bassanio refuses to give it to her, but then
Antonio suggests he's whipped and foolish, so Bassanio caves in and gives
Balthazar the ring at the last minute.

Finally everyone gets home to Belmont; the women have narrowly arrived
before the men. Nerissa launches into a fight with Graziano about the missing ring
(as it turns out, she also gave a ring symbolizing marital fidelity), accusing him of
giving it to a woman. Portia then lights into Bassanio for the same thing. Portia
complains about the men breaking faith for this lawyer guy, and she pledges to
sleep with this learned man too, breaking her marriage vows like Bassanio did by
giving up her ring.

Antonio has come home to Belmont with them and he feels responsible for
the fights. To make up for it he promises his soul as a guarantee that Bassanio will
be faithful to Portia. Portia accepts the offer of Antonio's soul and she gives him a
ring to give to Bassanio. Turns out it's the original ring. Portia explains that she
and Nerissa were the young lawyer and the clerk who rescued Antonio from
Shylock. Also, she's got a letter that says some of Antonio's ships have come
home with cash after all. The play ends with happiness for most of the characters
in the play—all except Shylock.