It has been three months, and Shylock is immediately on his case about the 3,000 ducats.

Things are not going well for Antonio when he loses profit on some of his cargo on one of his ships (it sank). Thanks to AntonioвЂ™s loan, he is able to woo his beloved Portia (and by selecting the right box). Now, itвЂ™s BassanioвЂ™s turn, as he shows up decked out in fine, expensive clothing and an entourage following him wherever he goes. With her picture safely tucked away in the lead container, two anxious suitors arrive only to pick the wrong box (a wealthy moor had selected the gold box containing a skull, while an old, rich aristocrat had selected the silver one, containing a replica of a foolвЂ™s head). There are three boxes set up: one made of gold, one made of silver, and one made of lead, and the man who selects the box containing PortiaвЂ™s picture wins her as a bride. PortiaвЂ™s father had set up some sort of вЂњpuzzleвЂќ to choose her husband. Meanwhile, Portia and her best friend Nerissa (Heather Goldenhersh) are hanging out at PortiaвЂ™s huge estate, awaiting her potential suitors. Despite BassanioвЂ™s plea to not accept the вЂњdeal,вЂќ Antonio complies, saying that he would make much more than twice the amount in the next few months. If Antonio could not pay back the loan within three monthsвЂ™ time, he is to forfeit one pound of his flesh to Shylock. He finally swallows his pride and pays a visit to ShylockвЂ™s office, asking him for a loan.ДЄt first, Shylock is hesitant to lend him the money, because of how Antonio had treated him in the past (spat on him, called him a dog, mocked him, etc.), but then decides to grant him the loan because he felt that Antonio was a вЂњgood manвЂќ and had good credit (second mortgages were unheard of during this time). After all, Antonio could not turn down his best friend, especially if heвЂ™s going to court the woman of his dreams. Business isnвЂ™t as usual and when his friend, a nobleman named Bassanio ( Joseph Fiennes), comes to ask him for money so he can woo the fair and beautiful Portia (Lynn Collins), he is forced to seek a lender to loan him 3,000 ducats. While Shylock is doing well for himself, Antonio is having some financial troubles. The two men are extremely distant, separated by misconceptions about their spiritual faiths. Shylock tries to make an attempt to say вЂњhelloвЂќ to Antonio in a crowd but is received by being spat in the face. This anti-Jewish prejudice seems all too familiar with what occurred some 50 to 60 years ago.ДЄntonio (the talented Jeremy Irons) is a rich sea merchant who has a strong dislike toward Jews, especially Shylock (the equally talented Al Pacino), a wealthy man who makes his living as a moneylender or usurer (as Shakespeare calls it). During this time, Jews were segregated into different living quarters or ghettos (as they were known in Italian), and men had to wear red caps distinguishing them from their Christian counterparts. вЂњThe Merchant of VeniceвЂќ explores anti-Semitism in one of the most liberal cities of the Renaissance period. One can find a modern romantic comedy on the silver screen or in one of ShakespeareвЂ™s plays such as вЂњMuch Ado About Nothing,вЂќ вЂњA Midsummer NightвЂ™s Dream,вЂќ or even вЂњTwelfth Night.вЂќ Even one of ShakespeareвЂ™s controversial plays has a certain, prophetic side. William ShakespeareвЂ™s writings, to paraphrase one of his contemporaries, are not solely limited to his generation but for all times.

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