law for the personal reason of saving Antonio, that action will set a precedent: other nations could then break laws when they have personal reasons to do so. Of course, no nation will want to trade or conduct business with another nation if that other nation is dishonorable and does not follow the rules, practices, and laws of international commerce. Thus, if the Duke interferes and denies Shylock’s contract from being fulfilled, the entire economy of Venice would be affected.Itwould be ruined because other countries would soon learn that the Duke of Venice denied the terms of a legal and bindingcontract.
Back at Belmont, Portia tells Lorenzo and others that she does not regret sending her new husband to Venice to help his friend. She has heard that Antonio is very similar to Bassanio and adds …
If it be so, How little is the cost I have bestowed In purchasing the semblance ofmysoul
From out the state of hellish cruelty.(18-21)
The phrase contains a double-metaphor. By the wordsoul, Portia is referring to Bassanio. The one who bears asemblance(or resemblance or similarity) to that soul (that is, to Bassanio)is