《威尼斯商人》 是英国戏剧家威廉·莎士比亚创作的戏剧，是一部具有讽刺性的喜剧。大约作于1596~1597年。
该剧的剧情是通过三条线索展开的：一条是鲍西亚选亲；一条是杰西卡与罗兰佐恋爱和私奔；还有一条是“割一磅肉”的契约纠纷。
剧本的主题是歌颂仁爱、友谊和爱情，同时也反映了资本主义早期商业资产阶级与高利贷者之间的矛盾，表现了作者对资产阶级社会中金钱、法律和宗教等问题的人文主义思想。这部剧作的一个重要文学成就，就是塑造了夏洛克这一唯利是图、冷酷无情的高利贷者的典型形象。部分节选选入人民教育出版社（九年级下册第13课）和上海教育出版社（八年级上册）语文教材。
威尼斯商人安东尼奥是个宽厚为怀的富商，与另外一位犹太人夏洛克的高利贷政策恰恰相反。安东尼奥的一位好朋友巴萨尼奥因要向贝尔蒙特的一位继承了万贯家财的美丽女郎鲍西娅求婚，而向他告贷三千块金币，而安东尼奥身边已无余钱，只有向夏洛克以他那尚未回港的商船为抵押品，借三千块金币。夏洛克因为安东尼奥借钱给人不要利息，影响高利贷行业，又侮辱过自己，所以仇恨安东尼奥，乘签订借款契约之机设下圈套，伺机报复。
夏洛克对安东尼奥往日与自己作对耿耿于怀，于是利用此一机会要求他身上的一磅肉代替商船。在一番口舌之后，安东尼奥答应了，与他定了合约。巴萨尼奥欢天喜地到贝尔蒙特去求亲了，在贝尔蒙特，他的朋友葛莱西安诺喜欢上了鲍西娅的侍女尼莉莎，两对新人在一个意外事件来临时，匆匆同时结了婚。原来，安东尼奥写了一封信来，信中说明了他的商船行踪不明，他立刻就要遭到夏洛克索取一磅肉的噩运，因这一磅肉可能会导致他的性命不保，所以，他希望见到巴萨尼奥的最后一面……听到这个消息，巴萨尼奥与葛莱西安诺赶紧奔回威尼斯，鲍西娅与尼莉莎也偷偷地化装成律师及书记，跟着去救安东尼奥。
在法庭上，鲍西娅聪明地答应夏洛克可以剥取安东尼奥的任何一磅肉，只是，如果流下一滴血的话（合约上只写了一磅肉，却没有答应给夏洛克任何一滴血），就用他的性命及财产来补赎。因此，安东尼奥获救，并且，庭上宣布以谋害威尼斯市民的罪名，没收其财产的二分之一，另外二分之一则给安东尼奥，而后者却把这笔意外的财产让给了夏洛克的女婿、自己的朋友——罗伦佐。夏洛克见阴谋失败，也只好答应了，并遵依判决，改信基督教。就这样，鲍西娅巧妙地挽救了安东尼奥的生命。同时，鲍西娅及尼丽莎戏弄了他们的丈夫。她们要求用戒指作为替安东尼奥辩护的报酬，然后回到了家中。等她们的丈夫回来时，她们责备他们忽视了结婚戒指的意义，并咬定了一定是他们把它们送给了别的女人。一连发窘的解释后，终于真相大白。每个人都有一个满意的结局，除了那个想害人反害己的夏洛克。
从16世纪初期开始，英国资本主义经济迅速发展。专制王朝执行了有利于工商业发展的政策，得到新兴资产阶级的支持，王室和资产阶级之间，形成了暂时的联盟。到了16世纪后期，在女王伊丽莎白一世的统治下，英国出现了经济繁荣和政治安定的局面。
但是，从16世纪90年代的后几年开始，英国社会的各种矛盾逐渐尖锐化起来：在农村，“圈地运动”在加速进行；在城市，资本主义手工工场大量出现，导致手工业者和贫民的状况不断恶化；1594—1598年间，又连续发生涝灾和严寒，农业歉收，物价飞涨，农民和城市贫民纷纷起来反抗。这一时期，资产阶级的力量也更加强大，它同王室的暂时联盟瓦解。莎士比亚开始感到他的人文主义理想和英国现实间的矛盾，因此1596年以后写的几部喜剧里，虽然调子还是愉快乐观的，但社会讽刺因素已有所增长。这时完成的《威尼斯商人》就是莎士比亚早期喜剧中最富有社会讽刺色彩的一部。剧情改编自意大利短篇小说《傻瓜》。
The Merchant of Venice is a play created by English dramatist William Shakespeare, which is a satirical comedy. It was written around 1596-1597.

The plot of the play is unfolded through three clues: one is Portia’s selection of relatives; One is Jessica falling in love and eloping with Lorenzo; There is also a contract dispute over “cutting a pound of meat”.

The theme of the play is to eulogize benevolence, friendship and love. It also reflects the contradiction between the early capitalist commercial bourgeoisie and usurers, and shows the author’s humanism thoughts on money, law and religion in bourgeois society. An important literary achievement of this play is the portrayal of Shylock, a typical figure of a mercenary and ruthless usurer. Some excerpts were selected from the Chinese language textbooks of the People’s Education Press (Lesson 13, Volume 2, Grade 9) and Shanghai Education Press (Volume 1, Grade 8).

Antonio, a Venetian merchant, was a generous and wealthy businessman, contrary to another Jewish man, Shylock’s usury policy. Antonio’s good friend Bassanio proposed to Portia, a beautiful girl from Belmont who had inherited a wealth of thousands, and borrowed 3000 gold coins from him. Antonio had no money left and had to borrow 3000 gold coins from Shylock as collateral with his merchant ship that had not yet returned to port. Shylock hated Antonio for lending money without interest, affecting the usury industry, and insulting himself. He took advantage of the opportunity to sign a loan contract and set a trap, waiting for an opportunity to retaliate.

Shylock was deeply resentful of Antonio’s past conflicts with him, so he took this opportunity to demand a pound of flesh from him to replace the merchant ship. After a few words, Antonio agreed and signed a contract with him. Bassanio happily went to Belmont to propose. In Belmont, his friend Gratiano fell in love with Portia’s maid Nerissa, and the two newlyweds quickly got married at the same time when an unexpected event occurred. Originally, Antonio wrote a letter stating that his merchant ship’s whereabouts were unknown, and he was about to face the misfortune of Shylock demanding a pound of meat. As this pound of meat could potentially endanger his life, he hoped to see Bassanio’s last face… Upon hearing this news, Bassanio and Gratiano rushed back to Venice, and Portia and Nerissa secretly disguised themselves as lawyers and secretaries, Follow and save Antonio.

In court, Portia cleverly agreed that Shylock could strip Antonio of any pound of flesh, but if he shed a drop of blood (the contract only stated a pound of flesh, but did not promise to give Shylock any drop of blood), he would use his life and property to redeem him. Therefore, Antonio was saved, and the court announced that half of his property was confiscated for murder of Venetian citizens, and the other half was given to Antonio, who gave the unexpected property to Shylock’s son-in-law and his friend Lorenzo. Shylock saw that the conspiracy had failed, so he had to agree and comply with the verdict, converting to Christianity. In this way, Portia cleverly saved Antonio’s life. At the same time, Portia and Nerissa teased their husband. They demanded a ring as compensation for defending Antonio, and then returned home. When their husbands returned, they blamed them for neglecting the meaning of the wedding rings and insisted that they must have given them to another woman. After a series of embarrassed explanations, the truth finally came to light. Everyone has a satisfactory ending, except for Shylock who wants to harm others but also harms himself.

Since the early 16th century, the British capitalist economy has developed rapidly. The authoritarian dynasty implemented policies that were conducive to the development of industry and commerce, gained support from the emerging bourgeoisie, and formed a temporary alliance between the royal family and the bourgeoisie. In the late 16th century, under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, Britain experienced economic prosperity and political stability.

However, starting from the latter years of the 1690s, various contradictions in British society gradually intensified: in rural areas, the “enclosure movement” was accelerating; In cities, a large number of capitalist handicraft workshops have emerged, leading to a continuous deterioration of the conditions of handicraftsmen and the poor; Between 1594 and 1598, there were consecutive floods and severe cold, resulting in poor agricultural harvests and soaring prices. Farmers and the urban poor rebelled one after another. During this period, the power of the bourgeoisie became even stronger, and its temporary alliance with the royal family disintegrated. Shakespeare began to feel the contradiction between his humanism ideal and the British reality. Therefore, in several comedies written after 1596, although the tone was cheerful and optimistic, the social satirical factors had increased. The Merchant of Venice, completed at this time, is one of Shakespeare’s early comedies with the most social satire. The plot is adapted from the Italian short story “Fool”.

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