1440600 1623 Shakespeare. Merchant of Venice. Final Leaf.
10215.
The Merchant of Venice. 1623.
Final Leaf Extracted from First Folio. Comedies 183-184.
"A light wife doth make a heavy husband"
The fragment is the final leaf of the play. Following Portia’s triumphant session with Shylock, where Portia, disguised as Balthazar a doctor of laws, maintained that the “quality of mercy is not strained.” She says that the bond between Shylock and Antonio does indeed call for a “pound of flesh” but that “not a drop of blood” be taken. She also rules that Shylock had plotted to kill a Venetian and therefore must forfeit his entire estate. Antonio interceded on Shylock’s behalf and had the penalty reduced.
In the final leaf, Portia and Nerissa return to Belmont. As part of an elaborate deception, “discover” that their husbands have given away their rings, but Antonio steps in and pleads with Portia to forgive Bassanio, who has been the recipient of Antonio’s largesse. The women return the rings to their husbands and reveal that Portia was the lawyer who saved Antonio from Shylock. Portia also tells Antonio that three of his ships have successfully returned and tells Lorenzo that he is Shylock’s heir.
Good