No Fear Shakespeare gives you the complete text of The Merchant of Venice on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right. Each No Fear Shakespeare contains: The complete text of the original play A line-by-line translation that puts Shakespeare into everyday language A complete list of characters with descriptions Plenty of helpful commentary. Shakespeare's tragicomic drama of love, wealth, and justice that revolves around a Venetian moneylender's bargain with a young merchant for a pound of flesh .