money from Shylock Shylock does not like Antonio He wants to harm him As Shylock reveals his intention to the audience If I can catch him Antonio once upon the hip I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him So Shylock agrees to give Antonio the loan under a strange condition He says if Antonio fails to repay the loan in time Shylock will take a pound of flesh from Antonio s body This makes the story very serious It shows the tragic side of the play Funny Love Stories There are also many funny and happy parts in the play Portia is a rich and beautiful lady She has many suitors They must choose among three caskets gold silver and lead to win her hand The Princes of Morocco and Aragon choose wrongly This wrong choice creates funny moments Bassanio chooses the lead casket and wins Portia s love Portia declares her love and devotion to Bassanio She says Myself and what is mine to you and yours Is now converted At the same time Gratiano a friend of Bassanio falls in love with Portia s maid Nerissa These love stories bring joy and laughter to the play It shows the comic side of the play Danger in the Trial Scene The trial scene Act Scene is the most serious part of the play As Antonio s ships are lost at sea he is unable to repay the debt in time So Shylock brings Antonio to court to take the pound of flesh Everyone begs Shylock for mercy but he refuses He says My deeds upon my head I crave the law Antonio gives up all hope and prepares to die This creates a tragic moment in the play Suddenly Portia comes to the court disguised as a young lawyer named Balthazar Portia makes a clever point that the bond agreement says a pound of flesh not blood So Shylock can take the pound of flesh but cannot shed any blood She says to Shylock Shed thou no blood nor cut thou less nor more But just a pound of flesh Since it is impossible Shylock loses the case He is now caught in his own trap Portia s quick wit saves Antonio s life and turns tragedy into comedy Everyone laughs at Shylock s foolishness Happy Ending The play has a happy ending After the trial Bassanio and Gratiano return to Belmont with Antonio Portia and Nerissa play a funny trick about the ring Portia gave to Bassanio earlier Finally she reveals she was actually the young lawyer Balthazar who saved Antonio Everyone laughs at this matter They also get good news that Antonio s lost ships have returned safely Now everyone has love friendship and wealth The play ends with joy and celebration In conclusion The Merchant of Venice has both sad and funny elements Antonio faces almost death and Shylock is punished for his evil intention But Bassanio Portia Antonio Gratiano and Nerissa all end up happy Because of Shakespeare s fine blend of tragic and comic elements the play becomes the finest example of tragi-comedy that we possess