•Why it earns a slot
The play contains one of the most debated courtroom scenes in world literature, the 'quality of mercy' speech and the flesh-bond reversal, and Shylock's 'Hath not a Jew eyes?' monologue remains a landmark text in discussions of prejudice and dramatic characterization.
Bassanio borrows money from his friend Antonio to court the heiress Portia, but the loan is secured against a pound of Antonio's flesh owed to the moneylender Shylock. When Antonio's ships are lost and the bond falls due, Portia disguises herself as a lawyer and defeats Shylock in court through a legal technicality, saving Antonio and exposing the cruelty of the bond. The play ends in reconciliation at Belmont, with Antonio's ships miraculously reported safe and Shylock stripped of his wealth and forced to convert.
This distillation is written from the freely available original, which is always the better read when you have the time: gutenberg.org.