The merchant of Venice
In this play, there is a man, who is called Bassanio, that wants to marry the rich Porzia, but he needs money to court her, so he asks Antonio for 3000 Ducati (the Venetian currency).
Antonio does not have the money, because he has invested his entire wealth in some sea trade. Therefore, he asks Shylock (a Jewish moneylender) to give Bassanio 3000 Ducati. Shylock accepts the pact, but if Antonio cannot give back to Shylock his money, he will have to give Shylock a pound of his meat.
Antonio accepts the pact and Bassanio can court and then marry Porzia. To marry her, he needs to choose from three caskets (one made of gold, one of silver and one of lead), and he chooses the correct one, the lead one.
After some months, Antonio loses all of his money because his sea trade fails. For this reason, Shylock decides to go to the Doge and ask him for Antonio’s meat.
The Doge cannot refuse the request of Shylock, but he calls for a lawyer (who is Porzia disguised) that asks him if he wants to accept 6000 Ducati and let Antonio in peace but Shylock refuses her offer. Therefore, Porzia tells him that he CAN take a pound of meat from Antonio, but he CANNOT take a single drop of blood. For this reason, Shylock is obliged to convert to Christianity and to give half of his wealth to his daughter Jessica (who has previously escaped from Shylock’s house to marry a Christian).
And they lived happily ever after, except for the poor Shylock.
«Non ha occhi un ebreo? Non ha mani, organi, statura, sensi, affetti, passioni? Non si nutre anche lui di cibo? Non sente anche lui le ferite? Non è soggetto anche lui ai malanni e sanato dalle medicine, scaldato e gelato anche lui dall'estate e dall'inverno come un cristiano? Se ci pungete non diamo sangue, noi? Se ci fate il solletico, non ridiamo? Se ci avvelenate non moriamo?»