Reading the play the Merchant of VeniceShakespeare is Britain's the most outstanding Renaissance masters, " "Ro meo and Juliet" -----makes all of us shed tears for their beautiful love; "Hamlet" ---- a large number of people is shocked by the happy prince of melancholy ... ... This time I read his comedy the Merchant of Venice and I think it really worth reading.Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of Venice" explored the timeless topic of money and love. Money is the world's most valuable things .There is something even more precious than money? Rich and moving story of family ties, witty dialogue, the plot turn, exaggerated the circumstances of Comedy, romance and legend is full of color. Is intertwined with friendship, love, love the world and lead us to understanding what is important in life.The play tells a story that happens in Italy. A moneyless young Venetian, Bassanio, is making preparations to propose to Portia, a rich beauty of Belmonte. He needs money and appeals to his friend Antonio, a merchan t of Venice, for help. But Antonio’s money is invested in ships at sea. To help Bassanio in his courtship, he borrows money from Shylock the Jewish usurer. Shylock, who has been insulted by Antonio and other Christians, however, agrees to lend the money on the condition that if the loan is not paid in time, he may cut a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. With this money, Bassanio goe s to Belmonte and succeed in the marriage with Portia. But news comes that Antonio’s ship sank and can’t return on time so he cannot pay the loan. Shylock demands his pound of flesh. The case is brought before the court. Antonio is in danger. At the critical mo ment, a young doctor of law arrives at the court. He appeals to Shylock for mercy with a moving speech, but in vain. Then the doctor admits the validity of Shylock’s claim, but warns him, under pain of death, that he must fulfil the everyletter of his bond, taking no more and no less than one pound of flesh, and spilling no drop of blood. Seeing himself thus cornered, the Jew has no choice but to obey the verdict of the court. To everyone’s surprise, the young doctor of law who saves the life of Antonio is Portia in disguise. Finally they live together happily. The story has a happy ending in theory. But I don’t think the end is really happy and is a kind of “grave comedy”.There are many vivid characters in the play. The silly princes of Morocco and Arragon, the handsome and ideal husband Antonio , Antonio’s best friend Bassanio, Shylock’s servant Lorenzo , waiting woman Nerissa, Shylock’s daughter Jessica……And the play brings us to a beautiful Venice. People may also addict into the romantic atmosphere of capitalism. But which attracts me is different.Certain passages of the drama1Portia‘s father prepared three boxes for young men who want to marry his daughter. Only the guy who chooses the right box can marry Portia. The gold box was carved on "Who chose me, will be the people's desire things."Inside the paper: "All that glistens is not gold."Often have you heard that told."Gilded tombs do worms enfold."Fare you wellThe silver box was carved on "Who chose me, will get what he deserves."Inside the paper: Did I deserve no more than a fool's head?Is that my prize?Are my deserts no better?To offend and judge are distinct offices and of opposed natures.With one fool's headI came to woo.But I go away with two.The plumbic box was carved on: "Who chose me, he must sacrifice everything for."Inside the paper: "You that choose not by the view"Chances fair and choose true"Since this fortune falls on you"Be content and seek no new"If you be well pleased with this"Then hold your fortune for your bliss"Turn you where your lady is"And claim her with a loving kiss"Here, I have to admit how wise Portia’s father is. In fact, the box is not only reflected people’s outlook about the money, but also to all matters, the box is only an analogy, the inside of the paper itself is a very good interpretation. The silly princes of Morocco and Arragon choose the gold and silver boxes, and consider themselves in the right. As the inside words suggest, certainly they can’t marry beautiful Portia. Portia’s father want to select a right man for his daughter by this, may be it is a good way.2He hath disgraced meant hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and what's his reason?I am a Jew!Hath not a Jew eyes?Hath not a Jew hands?Organs, dimensions?Senses, affections, passions?Fed with the same food?Hurt with the same weapons?Subject to the same diseases?Healed by the same means?Warmed and cooled by the samewinter and su mmer as a Christian is?If you prick us, do we not bleed?If you tickle us, do we not laugh?If you poison us, do we not die?And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?If we are like you in the rest,we will resemble you in that.If a Jew wrong a Christian,what is his humility? Revenge.If a Christian wrong a Jew,what should his sufferance be by Christian example?Why, revenge.The villainy you teach me I will execute.And it shall go hardWhen I read it for the first time, I didn’t pay much attention to Shylock.I just thought highly of handsome Antonio and smart Portia. However, this time when I read it again I think Shylock is the very character who leaves me the most impression.This passage is the monologue of Shylock. When Shylock shout this out ,it really touches my heart. Shylock is a Jewish money lender in Venice and he is often persecuted by the Christians, most notably Antonio. He loans Antonio three thousand ducats on the promise that if it is not repaid, the forfeiture shall be a pound of Antonio’s flesh. This plot to kill Antonio is unethical, but he cites valid reasons for his hatred. If Shylock is viewed only as a cruel villain, then the play is one of the virtues of “Christian mercy.” However, if his downfall and loss of daughter, religion and wealth at the conclusion are seen as the tragic end of a man who was abused by the other characters in the play, then the “Christian mercy” must be seen as cruelty in disguise.In this single-minded pursuit of a pound of flesh, his frequentmentions of the cruelty he has endured at Christian hands make it hard forus to label him a natural born monster. In one of Shakespeare’s mostfamous monologues, for example, Shylock argues that Jews are humansand calls his quest for vengeance the product of lessons taught to him by the cruelty of Venetian citizens. On the oth er hand, Shylock’s coldly calculated attempt to revenge the wrongs done to him by murdering his persecutor, Antonio, prevents us from viewing him in a primarily positive light. Shakespeare gives us unmistakably human moments, but he often steers us against Shylock as well, painting him as a miserly, cruel, and prosaic figure. But I think Shylock suffers much discrimination for he is a Jew. It‘s unfair. All men were born equally. It is the society that makes what Shylock is. What a poor Shylock. What poor Jews.We can learn much from the play. Money is important, but there are many far more important things in this world. Do not be fooled by the surface. In our real live we should threat everyone equally and do not have color vision to look at other people. And when we meet with unexpected difficulties, we should keep calm and solve it skillfully just as Portia does......If I were in Venice in 1563, I would like this play. But To be honest, to be a modern man I can’t agree with some of ideas in this play at all.。