"The Merchant of Venice" is a famous play written by William Shakespeare, believed to have been composed between 1596 and 1599. It is classified as one of Shakespeare's comedies, although it also explores themes of love, justice, prejudice, and mercy.The central plot revolves around a Venetian merchant named Antonio, who borrows money from a Jewish moneylender named Shylock in order to help his friend Bassanio court a wealthy heiress named Portia. Shylock, bitter and vengeful due to his mistreatment by Antonio and other Christians, insists on a pound of Antonio's flesh as collateral for the...