The folktale-like features of this part of the play also cause some critics to categorizeMerchantas aromance. The termromanceis used to indicate those comedies by Shakespeare that share certain qualities similar to medieval romances, such asSir Gawain and the Green Knight, which included the use of magical or supernatural elements as well as knightly adventures. Shakespeare’s playsThe TempestandThe Winter’sTaleare often designated as romances; but this category, like the one of tragicomedy, is actually unnecessary. The simpler designation ofcomedywas sufficient for Shakespeare, and it should be for readers and critics aswell.
The second part of the play, the pound-of- flesh story, also comes originally from the book by Giovanni Fiorentino. This story may also have been derived from an earlier folktale source,but Fiorentino’s version inspired several authors who came later as well as Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s genius for both character and poetry, though, is what sets his variation of the story apart from all of the others. Like the female bride in Fiorentino’s book, Portia (the bride who must be won in the first part of the play) assumes the role of a man and becomes the clever lawyer who successfully rescues the beleaguered merchant from the clutches of the violent money-lender. However,Shakespeare’s