The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare | Summary, SSC 2026 Questions & Answers | SSC 2027

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare: Summary, SSC Questions & Answers

এক নজরে  গল্পটি

Antonio was a rich and kind merchant (দয়ালু ব্যবসায়ী)  of Venice. He had many ships and always helped poor people. His close friend Bassanio was a young man who loved to live a luxurious life (বিলাসী জীবন). He fell in love with Portia, a beautiful and wise wealthy lady of Belmont.

Bassanio wanted to visit Portia but had no money. So, Antonio decided to help him. As all his money was invested in his ships, Antonio borrowed three thousand ducats from Shylock, a moneylender. Shylock hated Antonio and made a strange agreement with him. If Antonio could not repay the money within three months, Shylock would have the right to take one pound of flesh from Antonio's body. Antonio accepted the condition because he believed that his ships would return safely.

Meanwhile (ইতিমধ্যে), Portia's father had made a special plan for choosing her husband. There were three caskets: gold, silver and lead. The man who chose the casket containing Portia's portrait would marry her. The Prince of Morocco chose the gold casket, and the Prince of Spain chose the silver casket, but both failed. Bassanio understood that outward beauty could be misleading, so he chose the simple lead casket. He found Portia's portrait inside and won her hand. They got married.

Soon, Bassanio received a sad letter from Antonio. Antonio's ships had been lost at sea, so he could not repay Shylock. Shylock demanded his pound of flesh. Bassanio immediately went to Venice to save his friend.

In the court, Shylock refused to accept even more money and insisted on taking Antonio's flesh. Then Portia disguised herself as a young lawyer and came to the court. She requested Shylock to show mercy, but he refused. Portia carefully examined the bond and said that Shylock could take exactly one pound of flesh, but the bond did not allow him to take even a single drop of blood. Therefore, he could not cut Antonio's flesh without breaking the law. Shylock realized that he had been defeated by Portia's wisdom and left the court. Thus, Antonio's life was saved.

 

এসএসসি ২০২৬-এ সকল বোর্ডে আসা প্রশ্নোত্তরসমূহ

1. What was Antonio's primary occupation in "The Merchant of Venice"?

Answer: Antonio was a very rich merchant in the city of Venice. He owned many large ships that sailed the seas to sell goods in foreign countries.

 

2. Why did Portia's father make such a strange plan?

Answer: He made the plan with three caskets to find a good husband for his daughter. He wanted a husband who would love Portia for herself, not for her money.

 

3. How was the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio?

Answer: They were extremely close and loving friends. Antonio was always ready to risk his own life and wealth to help Bassanio.

 

4. Who was Bassanio? Why was he short of money all the time?

Answer: Bassanio was Antonio's dear friend and a noble but poor young man. He was always short of money because he loved a luxurious life and spent more than he earned.

 

5. How did Bassanio want to visit Portia and why?

Answer: He wanted to visit Portia in a grand manner with fine clothes and many servants. He did this because he wanted to impress her and match her wealthy status.

 

6. Why did Shylock get a bond signed by Antonio?

Answer: Shylock got the bond because he deeply hated Antonio and wanted a chance to take his life. The bond allowed him to cut a pound of flesh if Antonio failed to repay the loan.

 

7. Why did Antonio agree to borrow money from Shylock?

Answer: Antonio agreed because all his money was tied up in ships at sea, and he desperately wanted to help his friend Bassanio marry Portia.

 

8. What do you know about the three caskets?

Answer: Portia's father made three caskets made of gold, silver, and lead. Only the plain lead casket contained Portia's portrait inside.

 

9. How many people tried to choose the right casket? What was the result?

Answer: Three suitors tried to choose: the Prince of Morocco, the Prince of Spain, and Bassanio. Bassanio was the only one who succeeded.

 

10. What is the significance of "all that glitters is not gold"?

Answer: It means that appearances can be misleading, and beautiful covers often hide useless things. The Prince of Morocco learned this when he chose the gold casket and found only a picture of a skull.

 

11. What is the moral lesson behind the caskets?

Answer: The lesson is that we should not judge things by their outer beauty. True value and goodness are often found in plain, simple-looking things.

 

12. What did Bassanio offer to pay to Shylock to save Antonio?

Answer: Bassanio offered to pay Shylock twice the amount of the loan, and then even ten times the sum to save his friend's life.

 

13. How did Portia save Antonio's life?

Answer: Portia disguised herself as a wise lawyer and told Shylock he could cut the flesh. However, she stopped him by warning that if he shed even one drop of blood, he would lose everything.

 

14. Who was the wise lawyer that saved Antonio's life? What type of person was she?

Answer: The wise lawyer was Portia disguised as a young doctor named Balthazar. She was an extremely clever, wise, and kind woman.

 

15. What did Portia emphasize about God's mercy in "The Merchant of Venice"?

Answer: Portia said that mercy is a great blessing that comes from heaven. It blesses both the person who shows mercy and the person who receives it.

 

16. What type of man was Shylock?

Answer: Shylock was a crooked, greedy, and cruel moneylender. He hated Antonio and refused to show any mercy because he only wanted his pound of flesh

 

Questions with Answers for SSC 2027

1. Where did Antonio live?
   Answer: Antonio lived in Venice, Italy. He was a rich merchant and owned many ships.
2. How did Antonio earn his money?
   Answer: Antonio earned money by selling different kinds of merchandise in foreign countries. He also bought valuable goods from other countries and sold them in Venice.
3. Why was Antonio loved by the people of Venice?
   Answer: Antonio was loved by the people because he was honest, kind and always helped poor and needy people.
4. Who was Portia and what was she famous for?
   Answer: Portia was a wealthy lady of Belmont. She was famous for her beauty, wisdom and kindness.
5. Why did Bassanio need three thousand ducats?
   Answer: Bassanio needed three thousand ducats to visit Portia at Belmont in a grand manner because he wanted to win her love.
6. Why could Antonio not give Bassanio the money himself?
   Answer: Antonio could not give Bassanio the money because all his money was invested in his ships, which were sailing at sea with merchandise.
7. What kind of moneylender was Shylock?
   Answer: Shylock was a cruel and greedy moneylender. He lent money at high interest and showed no mercy to people who failed to repay their debts.
8. Why did Shylock hate Antonio?
   Answer: Shylock hated Antonio because Antonio disliked his practice of lending money at high interest. Antonio also lent money to people without taking interest.
9. What would happen if Antonio failed to repay the loan?
   Answer: If Antonio failed to repay the loan within three months, Shylock would have the right to take one pound of flesh from any part of Antonio's body.
10. Why was the lead casket important?
    Answer: The lead casket was important because it contained Portia's portrait. Bassanio chose it because he understood that outward appearance could be misleading.
11. Why did the Prince of Morocco choose the gold casket?
    Answer: The Prince of Morocco believed that a precious picture should be kept in a precious metal. So, he chose the gold casket.
12. Why did the Prince of Spain choose the silver casket?
    Answer: The Prince of Spain thought highly of himself. He believed that he deserved the best, so he chose the silver casket.
13. Why did Bassanio choose the lead casket?
    Answer: Bassanio chose the lead casket because he believed that external appearance could be deceptive. He preferred the simple-looking casket.
14. What happened after Bassanio found Portia's portrait?
    Answer: After finding Portia's portrait, Bassanio won her hand. They got married and began to live happily at Belmont.
15. What made Bassanio leave Belmont after his marriage?
    Answer: Bassanio received a letter from Antonio saying that all his ships had been lost and that he could not repay Shylock. So, Bassanio left Belmont for Venice to save his friend.
16. Why did the Duke feel helpless in Antonio's trial?
    Answer: The Duke felt helpless because the law was on Shylock's side. He could not legally prevent Shylock from claiming the penalty mentioned in the bond.
17. Why did Shylock refuse Bassanio's offer of money?
    Answer: Shylock refused the money because he was determined to take revenge on Antonio. He wanted his pound of flesh rather than money.
18. How did Portia prove that Shylock could not take Antonio's flesh?
    Answer: Portia pointed out that the bond allowed Shylock to take one pound of flesh but did not allow him to shed any blood. Therefore, Shylock could not cut the flesh without breaking the law.
19. Why did Shylock leave the courtroom in shame?
    Answer: Shylock realized that it was impossible to take Antonio's flesh without shedding blood. Portia's clever argument defeated him, so he left the courtroom in shame.
20. What qualities of Portia are revealed in the story?
    Answer: Portia was wise, intelligent, brave and merciful. She used her intelligence to defeat Shylock and save Antonio's life.

 

Full Story from the text book by NCTB

The Merchant of Venice

William Shakespeare 

Part 1

Once upon a time, there lived a very rich merchant named Antonio in Venice, Italy. He owned many ships that sailed across the sea. His ships carried different kinds of goods to foreign countries. He sold those goods there and bought spices and other valuable things from those countries to sell in Venice.
Antonio was a kind and honest man. He always helped poor people. So, the people of Venice loved and respected him.
Antonio had a close friend named Bassanio. He was a handsome young man from a noble family. Bassanio loved to live a luxurious life. He liked grandeur and style and spent more money than he earned. As a result, he often had no money. Whenever he was in need, he went to his best friend Antonio for help, and Antonio willingly gave him money.
One day, Bassanio fell in love with a wealthy lady named Portia. She was famous for both her beauty and wisdom. She also liked Bassanio. Bassanio wanted to visit Portia at Belmont in a grand way, wearing fine clothes and taking many servants with him. But he had no money. So, he went to Antonio for help.
Bassanio said, "Dear friend Antonio, I badly need some money. I want to visit Portia at Belmont in a grand manner, but I have no money now. Please help me."
Antonio replied, "Don't worry, my friend. How much money do you need?"
"Three thousand ducats will be enough," Bassanio answered.
Antonio said, "I don't have that much money with me now because all my ships are at sea with valuable goods. But don't worry. I will arrange the money for you."
Antonio decided to borrow three thousand ducats from a moneylender named Shylock. Shylock was a very cruel and dishonest man. Antonio and Shylock disliked each other. Shylock lent money at a high rate of interest and sometimes sent debtors to prison if they failed to repay their loans. On the other hand, Antonio helped people by lending them money without taking any interest.
Shylock agreed to lend Antonio the money, but he set a strange condition. If Antonio failed to repay the money within three months, Shylock would have the right to cut one pound of flesh from any part of Antonio's body as a penalty.
Antonio willingly accepted the condition because he believed that his ships would soon return with valuable goods. He thought he could easily repay the money by selling those goods.
Shylock made Antonio sign a bond before giving him the money. Antonio took the money and gave it to Bassanio.

 

Part 2

Bassanio went to Belmont to visit Portia in a grand manner, dressed in fine clothes and accompanied by many servants.
Portia's father had recently died. Before his death, he had made an unusual plan to choose a suitable husband for his daughter. He wanted a man to marry Portia for herself, not for her wealth. He therefore made three caskets: one of gold, one of silver and one of lead. Portia's portrait was hidden inside one of them. The suitor who chose the casket containing her portrait would marry her.
The first suitor was the Prince of Morocco. He thought that silver and lead were cheap metals and that the precious portrait must be inside the gold casket. So, he chose the gold casket. But he found only a picture of a skull and a message saying, "All that glitters is not gold." The prince became very sad and returned home.
Then came the Prince of Spain. He looked at the silver casket. It had a message saying, "He who chooses me will get what he deserves." The prince thought highly of himself and believed that he deserved the best. So, he chose the silver casket. But inside he found the picture of a blinking fool. He became disappointed and offended and immediately left.
Then it was Bassanio's turn. He looked at the three caskets carefully. He thought that appearances could be misleading. Bad people could look good from outside and hide their ugliness under beautiful clothes. Therefore, he chose the simple-looking lead casket.
When Bassanio opened the lead casket, he found Portia's portrait inside. Thus, he won Portia's hand.
Bassanio and Portia got married. Everyone at Belmont was very happy, and the newly married couple began to live happily.
But their happiness did not last long. One day, a messenger came with a letter from Antonio. In the letter, Antonio wrote that all his ships had been lost at sea. Therefore, he could not repay the money he had borrowed from Shylock. He had to pay the penalty mentioned in the bond. Antonio asked Bassanio to come to Venice because he wanted to see his friend once before his death.
Bassanio immediately left for Venice.

 

Part 3

When Bassanio reached Venice, Antonio was already in the court of justice. Everyone was waiting for the trial to begin. The Duke entered the courtroom, took his seat and the trial began.
The Duke requested Shylock to show mercy and give up his demand for one pound of Antonio's flesh. But Shylock refused. Bassanio offered Shylock twice the amount of money he had lent Antonio, but Shylock would not accept it. He insisted on the legal penalty mentioned in the bond.
The Duke was very sorry because he could not help Antonio. The law was on Shylock's side, and the law had to be followed.
Soon, a young clerk entered the courtroom with a letter from the wisest lawyer in Venice. The lawyer was ill and could not come to the court. In his letter, he requested the Duke to allow his young friend, Doctor Balthazar, to defend Antonio.
The Duke agreed, and Doctor Balthazar entered the courtroom. He looked very young, so the Duke doubted whether such a young lawyer could save Antonio. In fact, Doctor Balthazar was Portia in disguise. The young clerk was also Portia's friend in disguise.
Portia first requested Shylock to show mercy. She explained that mercy is a great quality and that God shows mercy to those who show mercy to others.
She said that mercy blesses both the person who gives it and the person who receives it. People pray to God for mercy, but they should also show mercy to others.
Shylock did not listen to Portia. He wanted only his pound of flesh.
Portia asked whether Antonio could pay the debt. Bassanio replied that Antonio could pay it and even offered to pay ten times the amount borrowed. But Shylock refused to take any money. He demanded his legal penalty.
Portia then asked Shylock to show her the bond. Shylock gave it to her. She read it carefully and admitted that the law was on Shylock's side. She again requested him to accept the money and allow her to cancel the bond. But Shylock refused.
Then Portia told Antonio to prepare himself because Shylock had the legal right to take one pound of his flesh.
Shylock became extremely happy. He praised Portia for her wisdom and called her a noble and excellent judge.
Portia then told Shylock to take his pound of flesh. Shylock happily approached Antonio with a knife and asked him to uncover his chest.
Just as Shylock was about to cut Antonio's flesh, Portia stopped him.
She said, "Wait, Shylock! There is no mention of blood in the bond. You may take exactly one pound of flesh, but you cannot shed even a single drop of Antonio's blood. If you shed any blood, you will have to pay a penalty, and the state will take all your property."
Shylock immediately understood that he could not cut a pound of flesh without shedding blood. He realized that he had been defeated by Portia's wisdom.
He lowered his head in shame and left the courtroom without saying another word.
Thus, Portia's intelligence and wisdom saved Antonio's life.