In Belmont, Bassanio chooses the correct casket and wins Portia. Also, his friend Grantiano admits that he has been in love with Portia’s lady-in-wait Nerissa. So the two couples decide to have a wedding together.

However, in Venice, Shylock is very angry because he finds that his daughter has escaped with Lorenzo, a Christian. But what makes him happy is that he hears the news that Antonio’s ships wrecked so that he cannot afford the money which his friend has lent. And Antonio has to keep the promise to give a pound of flesh back as substitution of the money. Bassanio and Gratiano hear that news and they immediately travel to Venice to try and save Antonio’s life. After they leave, Portia tells Nerissa that they have to go to Venice disguised as lawyer to rescue Antonio.

Shylock insists on having Antonio’s flesh as substitution of the bond so they go to court for “justice”. Portia disguises as a lawyer. Portia requests Shylock to grant some mercy, but he is still inflexible and adheres to the pound of flesh. Bassanio provides Shylock with twice the money, but Shylock insists on collecting the bond as it is written. Portia looks into the contract finding it is legally binding, declares that Shylock is entitled to Antonio’s flesh, but Portia reminds him that he must do accordingly without causing Antonio to bleed, because this contract does not entitle him to any blood. Trapped by this kind of logic, Shylock has to agree to take Bassanio’s money instead, however Portia insists that he take this bond as written, or he will get nothing. Nevertheless, Portia informs Shylock that this kind of behavior makes him guilty of threat against the life of a citizen of Venetian, which also means he has to give up half his property to the nation, and another half to Antonio. Antonio provides Shylock with two preferential policies: firstly, Shylock must convert to the religion Christianity. Secondly, he must give all of his estate to Jessica and Lorenzo after he dies. Shylock agrees and takes his leave.

2.2 Protagonists in the Play and Their Characteristics
In the play The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is the most vivid and most memorable character, and one of Shakespeare’s most important dramatic creations. It is Shylock who makes the play, almost all of the great stage and the actors have tried the role of Shylock. However, this role also arises a number of important topics of debate: Is he a bloodthirsty villain or is he a man?” Such questions arise because there are really two "Shylocks" in the play. First, there is the character "villain" who is required for the plot; second, there is human who suffers losing his daughter, his possession and most importantly for him, his religion.

One of Shakespeare’s most famous monologues in this play is that Shylock argues that Jews are humans and calls his quest for vengeance the product of lessons taught to him by the cruelty of Venetian citizens. Furthermore, the behavior that Shylock’s coldly attempting to revenge what Antonio has done to him by murdering him prevents us from regarding him in a totally positive angle. Shakespeare shows his human moments to us unmistakably, however he often steers us against Shylock too, describes him as a merciless and cruel figure. On the contrary, he is unfortunate and tragic, he loses almost everything belong to him. Though he is loyal to his religion, he has to give up under the oppression of the society guided by Christianity. But he’s also very mean. Shakespeare wants to contrast liberality against selfishness — in terms of money and in terms of love.

Considered as one of Shakespeare's greatest women, Portia is a noble and heroic character. However, at the very beginning of the play, we do not find that Portia is such an initiative and resourceful woman, as she is prisoned by her father’s dying wishes to marry a man who chooses the right casket. This opening later turns out to be a foreshadowing introduction to Portia, who finally shows the rarest of combinations of a woman who has a free spirit and scrupulously abides by rules. In the court, she defeats Shylock and she wins by applying and using the law flexibly. All these things can prove that Portia is wise, resourceful and humorous. Portia also represents the typical character of Shakespeare’s heroines. She is deeply influenced by humanism. She is the one who has the courage to take action to save Antonio once she hears the news. It is not because the Mercy Speech that we admire Portia but her wise and her kindness that make us so impressed. 论《威尼斯商人》中的宗教冲突(3):http://www.751com.cn/yingyu/lunwen_15187.html