No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (Paperback)

CHARACTERS
Shylock-A Jewish moneylender in Venice. Angered by his mis- treatment at the hands of Venice's Christians, particularly the merchant Antonio, Shylock schemes to get revenge by ruth- lessly demanding a pound of Antonio's flesh as penalty for Antonio's defaulting on a loan. The Christian characters in the play regard Shylock as an inhuman monster, frequently mocking him for being obsessed with: money. In person, how- ever, Shylock comes across as far more than a caricature or ste- reotype. His resentment at his mistreatment, his anger at his daughter's betrayal, and his eloquent expressions of rage make him a convincing, entirely human character.
Portia A wealthy heiress from Belmont. Portia's beauty is matched only by her intelligence. Bound by a clause in her father's will that forces her to marry whichever suitor chooses correctly among three caskets, Portia nonetheless longs to marry her true love, Bassanio. Far and away the cleverest of the play's characters, Portia disguises herself as a young male law clerk in an attempt to save Antonio from Shylock's knife.
Antonio The merchant whose love for his friend Bassanio
prompts him to sign Shylock's contract and almost lose his life. Antonio is something of a mercurial figure, often inexpli- cably melancholy and, as Shylock points out, possessed of an incorrigible dislike of Jews. Nonetheless, Antonio is beloved of his friends and proves merciful to Shylock, albeit with con- ditions.