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Antonio's best friend, Bassinio, is in love with Portia, a wise and wealthy heiress, and needs three thousand ducats to press his suit. With Antonio's money tied up in ships at sea, he approaches Shylock, a jewish usurer, who agrees to lend the money under the provision that Antonio shall forfeit a pound of his flesh if the debt is unpaid. When Antonio’s ships are wrecked, Shylock, the maligned Jew, call for the contract to be filled.
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