In Venice, the merchant Antonio borrows money so his friend can woo a beautiful lady. He agrees that if he doesn't repay Shylock the moneylender, Shylock can take a pound of his flesh. When Antonio's ships sink and he loses his fortune, Shylock insists on the gruesome payment... With Notes on Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre and Love, Hate and Mercy in The Merchant of Venice.
The tales have been retold using accessible language and with the help of Tony Ross's engaging black-and-white illustrations, each play is vividly brought to life allowing these culturally enriching stories to be shared with as wide an audience as possible.