The title-page of the first quarto,
published in 1600, describes The Merchant of Venice as
having been ‘diuers times acted by the Lord Chamberlaine
his seruants’. The play was also mentioned by Francis Meres
Palladis Tamia, published in 1598, indicating that it
was already known to the public by then. The Merchant of Venice
probably first performed by the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men at
the Theatre. The first recorded performance was not until 10 February
1605, Shrove Tuesday, when The Merchant of Venice was
given by the King's
Men at court before King James I. The King
commanded a second performance for the following Tuesday.
in quarto and folio
The Merchant of Venice appeared in five editions before
- First quarto, 1600. Printed from a manuscript very close to
Shakespeare’s autograph, perhaps a fair copy from his foul
- Second quarto, dated 1600 on the titlepage but published in
1619. Printed from the first quarto, apparently with some editorial
- First folio, 1623. Printed from the first quarto. A playhouse
manuscript may also have been consulted, for the addition of act
divisions and new stage directions.
- Second folio, 1632. Printed from the first folio.
- Third quarto, 1637. Printed from the first quarto.
The Merchant of Venice was entered by the printer
James Roberts on the Stationers’ Register on 22 July 1598.
Roberts transferred the play to Thomas Heyes on 28 October 1600.
The first quarto appeared in 1600, printed by James Roberts for
The second quarto appeared with the imprint ‘printed by I.
Roberts’ dated 1600. It was, in fact, one of a group of 10
plays printed by William Jaggard for Thomas Pavier in 1619. These
were apparently intended to form a collection of plays attributed
to Shakespeare. The King’s Men may have protested against
Pavier’s intentions, for the Lord Chamberlain subsequently
wrote to the Stationers’ Company demanding that no more plays
belonging to them should be printed except with their consent. The
third quarto appeared in 1637, printed by Marmaduke Parsons for
Laurence Heyes the son of Thomas Heyes.
copies of The Merchant of Venice contains detailed
bibliographic descriptions of all the quarto copies of the play.
Several sources were important for Shakespeare’s creation
of The Merchant of Venice.
- Ser Giovanni Fiorentino, Il Pecorone (1558). Shakespeare
may have based his play directly on the Italian story, or perhaps
used a lost English version which followed the original more closely
than any now known.
- A New Song: Shewing the Crueltie of Gernutus a Iew
(date unknown). This ballad may have contributed to Shakespeare’s
language in The Merchant of Venice.
- Anthony Munday, Zelauto. The Fountaine of Fame (1580).
Book 3 of this work may have influenced Shakespeare’s language.
It also apparently gave him the character of Jessica, Shylock’s
- Le Silvain, translated by Lazarus Pyott, The Orator
(1596). Shakespeare may have taken from this work some of Shylock’s
arguments in the trial scene (act 4 scene 1).
Shylock and the pound of
flesh, Le Sylvain, The Orator, 1596. British Library,
11396.aaa.19, p.401. Larger
- Christopher Marlowe, The Jew of Malta (first performed
about 1589 but not published until 1633). Marlowe’s characters
Barabas, the Jew of Malta, and his daughter Abigail, apparently
influenced Shakespeare’s Shylock and Jessica in The
Merchant of Venice.
- A Record of Auncient Histories, entituled in Latin: Gesta
Romanorum (1595). History 32 of this edition translated and
‘now newly pervsed and corrected by R. Robinson’ may
have been Shakespeare’s source for the choice of caskets
imposed on Portia’s suitors.
Story of the play
Note: the links below will take you to the page in the quarto where
each act begins, according to standard modern editions. (The quartos
themselves have no act divisions.) The quarto shown for each play
is always the earliest in the Library's collection - unless it is
a 'bad' quarto in which case it is the earliest 'good' quarto.
The Merchant of Venice is set in Venice and at Portia’s
house in Belmont.
(Act 1) Bassanio tells his friend Antonio, a merchant of Venice,
that he is in love with Portia and wishes to marry her. Antonio
agrees to borrow money, in advance of the profits he expects from
a trading venture, to pay for Bassanio’s suit to her. At Belmont,
Portia appraises her suitors, favouring only Bassanio. They must
choose between three caskets, one of gold, one of silver, and one
of lead, to win her. Antonio and Bassanio sign an agreement with
Shylock, a Jew, to borrow money from him. The bond is to be a pound
of Antonio’s flesh.
John Gielgud as Gratiano, 'Let me play the fool',
Merchant of Venice. Act I, Scene 1. British Library Sound Archive,
(Act 2) The first of Portia’s suitors, the Prince of Morocco,
arrives at Belmont. Jessica, Shylock’s daughter, is in love
with the Christian Lorenzo and elopes with him. The Prince of Morocco
chooses the gold casket, and fails to win Portia in marriage. Her
second suitor, the Prince of Aragon, chooses the silver casket and
also fails to win her.
(Act 3) Shylock discovers his daughter’s flight with Lorenzo.
He learns of the wreck of Antonio’s ships and his impending
ruin. Bassanio makes his suit to Portia. He chooses the lead casket
and wins her as his bride. Bassanio hears of Antonio’s ruin
and immediately tells Portia of his debt, and the bond between Antonio
and Shylock. Portia promises to pay the debt. Shylock insists on
receiving his bond, the pound of Antonio’s flesh.
(Act 4) Before the Venetian Court of Justice, Shylock demands
as his bond a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Portia enters, disguised
as a young Doctor of Laws. She advises Shylock to be merciful. When
he refuses, she judges that he is entitled to his bond but only
if he sheds none of Antonio’s blood in taking it. She further
judges that Shylock’s estate is forfeit because he sought
the Venetian citizen Antonio’s life. Shylock leaves the court
defeated and ruined. Bassanio has not recognised Portia. He offers
payment for her services, but she demands her own ring from him
and he gives it to her.
Ellen Terry as Portia, 'The quality of mercy is not strain’d',
Merchant of Venice. Act 4, Scene 1. British Library Sound
(Act 5) Portia returns home to Belmont, followed by Bassanio and
Antonio. She forces Bassanio to confess that he gave her ring to
the Doctor who defended Antonio. She returns the ring to him, telling
him that she was the young Doctor of Laws.