The Merchant of Venice Act II

In which the noble suitors, bound by a curious lottery of caskets decreed by fair Portia’s late father, make their earnest but uncertain choice in hopes to win her hand; amidst love’s folly and shifting fortunes, the scene is beheld by loyal servants, secret letters, and deftly spun disguises that hint at ventures of the heart and household discord. Meanwhile, the melancholy merchant Antonio and his friends prepare for farewells and festivities, while whispered murmurs of loss and law stir in the streets of Venice.