Act1-
Antonio's friend Bassanio owes Antonio money but unable to repay his debts, asks Antonio for more money so he may marry the wealthy and beautiful Portia and so pay back his friend. Antonio has no money to spare but tells Bassanio to use his good name to try to get a loan. Bassanio gets his loan of three thousand ducats from a Jewish merchant named Shylock. The price for not repaying the debt is high, namely a pound of flesh from Antonio, but Antonio is not worried. His ships and wealth come back a month before the debt is due.
Jessica, Shylock's daughter plans to elope with Lorenzo against her father's wishes. Launcelot, Shylock's former servant delivers to Lorenzo a letter from Jessica explaining that Jessica will be waiting at her house for Lorenzo and that she has taken some of her father's jewels and gold as well. Jessica escapes to live a new life as a Christian and as the wife of Lorenzo. Shylock is furious at having lost his daughter, his gold and his precious jewels to a Christian and knows that Antonio was partially involved and swears revenge.
Bassanio arrives to court Portia who is reluctant to never see Bassanio again should he fail
the casket challenge. Bassanio takes the challenge, choosing correctly. Bassanio will marry Portia and it is revealed that Gratiano, Bassanio's friend, has fallen in love with Nerissa, Portia's maid and so another marriage will also occur. Antonio now stands to lose a pound of his flesh and with it his life for helping Bassanio. Portia and Nerissa leave Belmont on a secret mission to save Antonio, disguising themselves as men.
The Duke of Venice attempts to convince Shylock to let Antonio pay back Bassanio's debt. But Shylock refuses. Portia, now disguised as a man, defends Antonio, claiming that Shylock can take only a pound of flesh and no more, a clearly impossible task. Furthermore accused of murder, Shylock must become Christian and give half his property to Jessica when he dies is reached. Gratiano meets Portia and gives her Bassanio's ring. Nerissa tells Portia she too will get the ring of her husband. Portia decides to make both men regret their rash action.
Portia and Nerissa arrive back at Belmont before Bassanio, Antonio, Gratiano and their followers, all of whom are unaware that it was Portia and Nerissa who defended them in
Venice. Nerissa and then Portia blame their husbands for giving away their wedding rings, an important symbol of their love and loyalty to their two wives. Much comedy ensues as the two men attempt to make excuses for this. Portia ends Bassanio's and Gratiano's suffering by producing a letter which explains their role in Venice. The two men are embarrassed that they could not even recognize their own wives.
ACT1—
安东尼奥的朋友巴萨尼奥欠安东尼奥的钱而无法偿还他的债务，安东尼奥问更多的钱，所以他可能嫁给富人和美丽的波西亚等偿还他的朋友。安东尼奥没有多余的钱但告诉巴萨尼奥去使用他的名字好去贷款。他从一个犹太商人名叫夏洛克他的贷款三千块钱。不清偿债务的价格很高，即安东尼奥的一磅肉，但安东尼奥并不担心。他的船和财富回来之前的一个月到期的债务。
杰西卡，夏洛克的女儿计划私奔洛伦佐反对她父亲的意愿。兰斯洛特，夏洛克的以前的仆人把洛伦佐杰西卡的一封信解释说，杰西卡将在她房子里等着，她和洛伦佐已经采取了一些她父亲的珠宝和黄金一样好。杰西卡逃到了新的生活作为一个基督徒和洛伦佐的妻子。
夏洛克是在失去了他的女儿大发雷霆，他的金和他的一个基督徒珍贵的珠宝，知道安东尼奥部分参与并发誓报复。发誓的英文
巴塞尼奥到法院鲍西娅不愿从未见到巴塞尼奥再如果他失败了棺材的挑战。巴萨尼奥需要挑战，正确选择。巴塞尼奥愿意嫁给波西亚发现葛劳提阿诺，巴萨尼奥的朋友，爱上了尼瑞莎，波西亚的女仆，所以另一个婚姻也会发生。安东尼奥现在正在失去他的一磅肉和自己的生活帮助巴萨尼奥。波西亚和尼瑞莎在执行一项秘密任务去救安东尼奥离开贝尔蒙特，伪装自己的人。
威尼斯试图说服夏洛克让安东尼奥偿还债务巴萨尼奥的公爵。但夏洛克不予。波西亚，现在伪装成一个男人，为安东尼奥辩护，声称夏洛克可以只有一磅肉，没有更多的，显然是不可能的任务。此外，被指控谋杀，夏洛克必须成为基督徒，给他一半的财产给杰西卡当他死的时候了。葛莱西安诺满足波西亚和巴塞尼奥的戒指给她。告诉她她也会这样对她丈夫的环。她决定让两人后悔自己的鲁莽的行动。
波西亚和尼瑞莎来到贝尔蒙在巴萨尼奥，安东尼奥，葛劳提阿诺和他们的追随者，他们都不知道它就是波西亚和尼瑞莎捍卫他们在威尼斯。莉莎和波西亚责怪丈夫给了他们的结婚
戒指，他们的两个妻子的爱和忠诚的重要标志。多喜剧发生在两人试图为这个借口。波西亚端和葛劳提阿诺巴塞尼奥的痛苦的一封信，解释他们的生产在威尼斯的角。两人都尴尬，他们甚至不能认出自己的妻子。
Plot Overview剧情概述
Antonio, a Venetian merchant, complains to his friends of a melancholy that he cannot explain. His friend Bassanio is desperately in need of money to court Portia, a wealthy heiress who lives in the city of Belmont. Bassanio asks Antonio for a loan in order to travel in style to Portia’s estate. Antonio agrees, but is unable to make the loan himself because his own money is all invested in a number of trade ships that are still at sea. Antonio suggests that Bassanio secure the loan from one of the city’s moneylenders and name Antonio as the loan’s guarantor. In Belmont, Portia expresses sadness over the terms of her father’s will, which stipulates that she must marry the man who correctly chooses one of three caskets. None of Portia’s current suitors are to her liking, and she and her lady-in-waiting, Nerissa, fondly remember a visit paid some time before by Bassa
nio.
In Venice, Antonio and Bassanio approach Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, for a loan. Shylock nurses a long-standing grudge against Antonio, who has made a habit of berating Shylock and other Jews for their usury, the practice of loaning money at exorbitant rates of interest, and who undermines their business by offering interest-free loans. Although Antonio refuses to apologize for his behavior, Shylock acts agreeably and offers to lend Bassanio three thousand ducats with no interest. Shylock adds, however, that should the loan go unpaid, Shylock will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s own flesh. Despite Bassanio’s warnings, Antonio agrees. In Shylock’s own household, his servant Launcelot decides to leave Shylock’s service to work for Bassanio, and Shylock’s daughter Jessica schemes to elope with Antonio’s friend Lorenzo. That night, the streets of Venice fill up with revelers, and Jessica escapes with Lorenzo by dressing as his page. After a night of celebration, Bassanio and his friend Gratiano leave for Belmont, where Bassanio intends to win Portia’s hand.