Act 5 Review of the Merchant of Venice

Act V opens with Lorenzo and Jessica in Belmont speaking about various mythology tales such as Troilus and Cressida, Pyramus and Thisby, Dido and Aeneus, Medea and Jason, and compares this to Jessica running away from her father. All of these classic stories ended in tragedy, and the couple compares their current relationship to this, which may symbolize that their relationship will end with something bad happening. A messenger comes up to the couple and lets them know that Portia is coming home that night however, she may be a little longer than expected as she keeps on stopping to pray at holy crosses on the road back. Lancelot also tells the couple that Bassanio will be coming home too. Portia and Nerissa return home and speak to Lorenzo about their husbands who are also returning home. Bassanio, Antonio, and Gratiano arrive at Portia’s estate and Portia and Nerissa demand to see the rings they gave their husbands. Gratiano and Bassanio explain the situation to them. When the two men make up excuses for why they do not have their rings, Portia and Nerissa threaten that they will not sleep with them until they see the rings. Portia and Nerissa were angry with their husbands so they pretend like they slept with the clerk and judge to obtain the rings back however, this is a lie since they were the clerk and judge themselves. The women reveal the lie and Portia gave Antonio a letter saying that three of his ships have arrived to the port safely. Nerissa also reveals that Lorenzo and Jessica will receive everything of Shylock’s after he dies. 

I personally wanted the story to end with Shylock attempting to get revenge on Antonio and his group of friends, however he just disappears after the trial. This would have frankly been more interesting than all of the couples fighting at the end of the play. This ending was very anti-climactic and I thought more would have happened after the horrible news Shylock received from the trial hearing. In my opinion, the story would have been more interesting if Shylock went to Portia’s estate wanting to kill or get revenge Antonio or one of the other main characters. All of the couples ended up together in the end which I thought was nice but resembled a not very modern fairytale. Reading the last act, the story feels unfinished, such as Shakespeare ran out of time to give the ending justice.