English Literature

The Enchanted Island Group Project

Pound Of Flesh Summary

Upon reading, a pound of flesh entails a tired love story between a poor man and a rich
heiress. However, this short story is beyond what one may originally think it to be. Portia, the
heiress had many suitors as she was young and unmarried, yet her heart belonged to a man in
debt named Bassanio. Bassanio could not court the young heiress due to his finances so he and
his kind friend Antonio, a rich merchant who currently had no money, went to borrow money
from Shylock. Shylock was a money-lender but didn’t want to lend any to Antonio since he was
previously treated with brutal scorn by him due to being a Jew. That is until, Shylock made a bond
to get revenge on Antonio ending with him cutting out a pound of flesh if there was no payback
by the due date. Bassanio used the money to court Portia and his friend Gratiano did the same
with the heiress’s maid- in- waiting under her mistress’s approval. Later, Bassanio received a
letter about Antonio’s misfortune and quickly filled Portia in on what this meant to him. She
understood and the two couples each got married the same day so Bassanio could share finances
with the heiress. While Antonio and Bassanio failed to plea with Shylock, Portia and Nerissa came
up with a plan to disguise as lawyers to save the merchant. Throughout the trial, Portia kept
asking Shylock to show mercy and kindness and accept the money but he insisted on cutting out
the pound of flesh. Gratiano and Bassanio admitted that they would have given up their wives
and money to see Antonio go free. The tension was at a climax when Portia finally pointed out
that if he cut out the merchant’s flesh, he would have to ensure that there was no blood or his
land and goods would be given to the state. After bickering, they came up with a settlement that
he would take what he was owed three times over. In addition, she said that due to plotting
against the life of a citizen half of his wealth should go to the state and the other Antonio
determined would go to the Jew’s daughter who married a Christian man against her Shylock’s
approval. The Jewish man left a broken man unlike Antonio who was released from prison. Portia
and Nerissa, dressed as a lawyer and her clerk, pulled their husbands legs and took the rings as a
“mark for their appreciation”. When both parties arrived at home separately, they had a fine time
teasing them before confessing and the two men were very pleased. News that three of
Antonio’s ships were recovered made everyone happy for him. As it was almost morning, they all
went into their house.