Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-21
EDITORIAL and Literary Department
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.
!Apoiogics to Shakespeare

Ell
Shylock the Jew lived at Venice. He
VAS an Insurer. who had gathered to-
| gethcr an immense fortune by hard
hyarted dealings in lending money TO
! Christian merchants and then demands
F! ln2 interest and payment with such
severity that he was much disliked by
2 young and generous merchant OF
| Venice, who loaned money TO people
gratis. Shyiock hated Antonio equally
aS much. ana when this covetons Jew
ANA Antonio met at the Rialto Antonio
! would reproach him with his usuries
and hard dealings. which the Jew
while he secretly planned revenge.
Anton,o WAS the kindest man that
doing good deeds. and the best natured.
Indeed, he was one in whom the ancient
Roman honor more, appeared than In
any that drew breath in Italy. lie was
loved 10y All who knew MIN. but the
ono nearest and dearest his heart was
hatSanio. noble Venetian who. hav
spent all Of his iittlo fortune. as young
men with high rank and slender mea MS
are apt TO do. Whenever he wanted
money ho always went to Antonio, and
indeed II seemed az If these two had
but one heart and purse between them
and one said DAY he BSTslh@0 Sam .pa oF
tune by wealthy marriage TO i lady
whom he dearly loved; nnd. whose
heiress TO !: large estate. He said in
her fathers lifetime he had visited
there, when he thought he had OBJ
served this lady had sometimes from
her eyes sent speechless messages,
which seemed TO say he would he no
,id" Love, ioSer, nut NOT having the
lover 10 so rich an heiress, he besought
Antonio 10 add 10 the many favors I've
had shown him by lending him 5000
ducats Antonio did not have the
money by him at this time, but ex-
pecting some ships laden with mer-
chandise for him to be in port in about
n month, he said he would 60 to the
rich money-lender, Shyiock, and Dor
row IT,
Shyiock consented to lend him the
money on the condition that he would
sign bond in sport, that If he failed
TO pay him he vas 70 have a pound
of Antonios flesh. cut from amy part
OF the body he wished. la sSanio did
not want him 20 do this. but he did.
thinking. IA the Jew said. it was only
So Eassanio married his fair lady
Portia. and AT tho same time. his ser
want, Grattano. married Portals maid,
When ;hov were married. each Lady
gave her husband a ring The same
which lac vowed never 10 part.
to pa.sa"'o tina; as Antonios ships
were lost. he would have % forfeit
hi, pound OF flesh. as bound b. the
bond.
could for his fricrd, and little while
after Portia followed. disguised as
Nerissa, rs her clerk. to plead In An
tonio's stead. When she got there
Shylock was getting ready TO cut a
breast Eut she said, ''Tarry, Jew,
this bond calls for one pound of flesh.
but not ono drop Of blood" so angry
and disappointed. Shylock turned away
and muttercd, Il am ILL., take me home
Portia and Verissa asked for a "
ward OF Bassanio and Gratiano tho
rings they wore. and for Antonios
SAX" they gave them. although they
were sorry to give them up
When they returned 10 Belmont.
their wives asked them where they
wero and seemed very angry because
they did not have them, but when
they had told each other all. II was
indeed happy reunion after the
danger was past. and in Il few days
Antonio's ships arrived safely in port.
Retoid by.
MARJORIE HOLMES WILLIAMS