Theclimaxof thesubplot– the tale of Bassanio and Portia involvingfateand the three caskets – occurs in the third act just as Bassanio is about to make his choice of caskets.
But theclimaxof themain plot– the tale of Antonio and Shylock involving choices and legal contracts – occurs in ActIV.The scene is set in the court of Venice; and Antonio is ready to accept his fate, to accept his own death. Antonio even thanks the Duke of Venice for trying to help his cause, but Shylock refuses to accept any and all offers: the moneylender demands his pound of flesh. So, Antonio tells the Duke that he is “armed to suffer with a quietness of spirit the very tyranny and rage” of Shylock (10-12). However, although Shakespeare was a strong believer in the power and tyranny offate, the playwright also knew that there were occasions when man could control the outcome of a conflict. Man should not always be so ready to accept meekly and passively what may appear to be an expected fate. There are times when the spirit should not bequiet.
Unfortunately, Antonio is too passive and too melancholy. Thus, a different hero must step forward to take Antonio’s place in the conflict against Shylock. And that hero, stepping out of her role as a passive sufferer of fate in the subplot, isPortia. In the main plot Portia becomesan active