MERCHANT OF VENICE

a play by Shakespeare , thought to have been written in 1596. It is about a merchant, Antonio, who borrows money from a Jew called Shylock to help Bassanio marry Portia. According to their agreement, if Antonio fails to pay the money back, Shylock can claim a pound of Antonio’s flesh. When Antonio is unable to pay the money back, Shylock demands that Antonio keeps to the agreement. However, he is defeated in a court case by Portia, disguised as a lawyer, who makes a powerful speech, wins the case and saves Antonio’s life. The play is the origin of the expression to demand, want, etc. your pound of flesh , meaning to want or insist on getting what you have a legal right to, even when it is morally offensive to do so.