Act I-III: Setting the Stage and Building Tension
The opening acts establish the core conflict of il mercante di venezia trama breve. In Venice, Antonio, unable to directly help his friend Bassanio's romantic pursuit, enters a perilous agreement with Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, risking a pound of flesh as collateral for 3,000 ducats.
Highlight: The play's structure follows the medieval tradition of threes - three thousand ducats, three caskets, three suitors.
Definition: The casket challenge represents a medieval tradition of winning a bride through solving riddles, while simultaneously reflecting Venice's legal equality among different nationalities.
Example: The three caskets - gold, silver, and lead - each represent different aspects of human nature and decision-making.
Quote: "The person who chooses the lead casket must give and risk everything that he has."