In William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, we are treated to the rivalry between a merchant, Antonio, and his enemy Shylock, a money-lender. While the play revolves around the loan Shylock provides Antonio, demanding a "pound of flesh" if not paid in a timely fashion, it is also a love story between Bassanio and Portia (Shakespeare, IV.i.115). There is also a love relationship between Jessica and Lorenzo, and a strong case might be made for Antonio loving Bassanio. Antonio's affection for Bassanio encourages him to secure a loan from Shylock, so he might win the hand of Portia. Throughout the play the bonds of law, religion and social custom or community are a primary focus. Deception pervades the play, from Bassanio presenting himself as a wealthy suitor to Portia masquerading as a wise male lawyer. Through the ties that "bind" members of Venice to contracts and each other, we discover that mercy is a necessary quality if a community is to respect its bonds. More than this, Shakespeare illustrates that even more important than mercy for successful relationship or bonds in law, religion and social customs may be trust.
There is little doubt that justice through bonds seems to be an important play in The Merchant of Venice. Shylock has loaned Antonio 3000 ducats. In exchange, if Antonio does not repay the loan under the terms contracted to Shylock, then he must sacrifice a pound of his flesh to repay the debt. Shylock has made this bet intentionally, being enemies with Antonio and not fond of Venice. Shylock's portrayal at times seems purely evil, but he always tells the truth and adheres to the law. We see this when he maintains that if the terms of his contract are not met, then Venetian law is not really worth anything since it is not honored in trust. As Shylock asserts, "The pound of flesh, which I demand of him, / Is dearly bought; 'tis mine, and I will have it: / If you deny me, fie upon you...