A Pound of Flesh

In The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, only Portia's appearance in court and her implacable logic saves Antonio from Shylock's knife. But what would happen if she never came to Venice? Bassanio's need for money to woo Portia sets in motion the events that lead to the trial, but what are his real motives? And why is there so much hatred between Antonio and Shylock? With echoes of Romeo and Juliet, events in A Pound of Flesh move remorselessly to a tragic end.