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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare cover

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Chapter 612: Dramatis Personæ

By William Shakespeare

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About This Book

This collection gathers dramatic works and lyrical poems spanning comedies, tragedies, histories, and a sonnet sequence, presenting plays in verse and prose alongside narrative poems. The pieces examine human experience through recurring themes of love, ambition, jealousy, power, fate, and the tension between appearance and reality, moving between comic confusion and tragic collapse. Language and theatrical craft are central, employing vivid imagery, rhetorical invention, puns, and varied poetic forms to probe identity, political conflict, and moral choice across intimate moments and public spectacle.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Contents

Scene I. Venice. A street.

Scene II. Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Scene III. Venice. A public place.

Scene I. Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Scene II. Venice. A street.

Scene III. The same. A room in Shylock’s house.

Scene IV. The same. A street.

Scene V. The same. Before Shylock’s house.

Scene VI. The same.

Scene VII. Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Scene VIII. Venice. A street.

Scene IX. Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Scene I. Venice. A street.

Scene II. Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Scene III. Venice. A street.

Scene IV. Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Scene V. The same. A garden.

Scene I. Venice. A court of justice.

Scene II. The same. A street.

Scene I. Belmont. The avenue to Portia’s house.

Dramatis Personæ

THE DUKE OF VENICE
THE PRINCE OF MOROCCO, suitor to Portia
THE PRINCE OF ARRAGON, suitor to Portia
ANTONIO, a merchant of Venice
BASSANIO, his friend, suitor to Portia
GRATIANO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio
SOLANIO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio
SALARINO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio
LORENZO, in love with Jessica
SHYLOCK, a rich Jew
TUBAL, a Jew, his friend
LAUNCELET GOBBO, a clown, servant to Shylock
OLD GOBBO, father to Launcelet
LEONARDO, servant to Bassanio
BALTHAZAR, servant to Portia
STEPHANO, servant to Portia
SALERIO, a messenger from Venice

PORTIA, a rich heiress
NERISSA, her waiting-woman
JESSICA, daughter to Shylock

Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Justice, a Gaoler, Servants and other Attendants

SCENE: Partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the seat of Portia on the Continent