My Reading Journal 2 C組，林泯輝

These days I finish the book 'Tales from Shakespeare.' I read 'The Merchant of Venice', 'Macbeth' and 'Twelfth Night, or What You Will' three plays.

The following is the introduction about the plays which I think it's really famous. The Merchant of Venice is talking about Antonio, a young merchant of Venice, who wants to help his friend, Bassanio to get married with Portia. However, he didn't have enough money to lend his friend so that he borrows money from Shylock, a Jew, a moneylender who also lives in Venice. Antonio sign a contract with Shylock that if he can't repay the money by a certain day, he would lose a pound of flesh, to be cut off from any part of his body that Shylock pleased. To the date, Antonio really can't repay the money due to his boat was lost. At that moment, Bassanio already recognize Portia. When he get the information, he go to help his friend. Besides, Portia, a wise and beautiful lady, also disguises herself as a lawyer to help Antonio. In the court, wise Portia says 'the paper gives you no drop of blood; the words are: 'a pound of flesh.''

However, how could we cut off a pound of flesh without some blood falling? Therefore, the court releases Antonio. After the event, Bassanio get married with Portia.

After finishing the book, Shakespeare is really a great master of plays. Why I say the words? For example, he uses the words 'They were both born in the same hour, and in another hour they were both in danger of death, for they were shipwrecked on the coast if Illyria as they were making a journey together.' to introduce the main characters are twins and make an opening for the stories in 'Twelfth Night, or What You Will.' Thanks for this free reading that I can know about the Shakespeare's plays.