Major Characters

• Antonio: Protagonist, The Merchant of Venice, a wealthy, generous, and melancholic Venetian merchant. He is the best friend of Bassanio and becomes the target of Shylock’s bond.
• Shylock: Antagonist, a Jewish moneylender in Venice. He is intelligent, vengeful, and a victim of prejudice. Shylock lends money to Antonio with a bond for a pound of flesh.
• Portia: Heroine, a wealthy, witty, and intelligent heiress of Belmont. Portia disguises herself as a male lawyer (“Balthazar”) to save Antonio and marries Bassanio.
• Bassanio: Antonio’s closest friend and Portia’s suitor. Young, reckless with money, but truly devoted to Portia. He borrows money from Antonio to seek Portia’s hand in marriage.

• Gratiano: Friend of Bassanio and Antonio. Talkative, humorous, and often make inappropriate jokes. Later marries Nerissa.
• Nerissa: Portia’s maid and close friend. Loyal, wise, and witty. Marries Gratiano.
• Jessica: Shylock’s daughter. She elopes with Lorenzo, takes away her father’s money and jewels, and converts to Christianity.
• Lorenzo: Friend of Antonio and Bassanio. Lover (and then-husband) of Jessica. Romantic and loyal.
• The Duke of Venice: Ruler of Venice who presides over Antonio’s trial. Tries to show fairness and mercy.
• Launcelot Gobbo: A comic servant first to Shylock and then to Bassanio. Provides comic relief and is known for puns and wordplay.
• Old Gobbo: Launcelot’s blind father. Simple and comic character.
• Prince of Morocco: One of Portia’s suitors. Noble, confident, chooses the wrong casket in the lottery for Portia’s hand.
• Prince of Arragon: Another suitor of Portia. Also fails in the casket test.
• Salerio & Solanio: Friends of Antonio and Bassanio. They comment on events and help move the plot forward.
• Tubal: Friend of Shylock. Also, a Jewish moneylender, informs Shylock about Jessica’s actions.

• Bassanio: Portia’s beloved Venetian suitor who chooses the correct (lead) casket and wins her hand in marriage.
• Prince of Morocco: A proud and wealthy African prince who selects the gold casket and fails.
• Prince of Arragon: An arrogant Spanish nobleman who chooses the silver casket and loses his chance to marry Portia.
• Other unnamed suitors: Noblemen from France, England, Saxony, and Scotland. They are only mentioned, not shown on stage. None of them wishes to take the risk of the casket challenge.

• Portia and Bassanio: The central romantic couple.
• Nerissa and Gratiano: Portia’s maid and Bassanio’s friend.
• Jessica and Lorenzo: Shylock’s daughter and her Christian lover.

• Antonio, Bassanio, Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino & Solanio
• Poria & Nerissa