Romantic love is a major plot point in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. The play examines various concepts related to love, including the themes of genuine love, fake love, and the perils of love. We will examine how Shakespeare presents these concepts of romantic love in The Merchant of Venice in this essay.

The idea of true love is one of the play’s central concepts regarding relationships. This is best illustrated by the bond between Portia and Bassanio. When Bassanio first approaches Portia to ask for her hand in marriage, she instructs him that in order to win her hand, he must pick the right casket from a list of three possibilities. She says, “If you choose that wherein I am contained, straight shall our nuptial rites be solemnized” (2.7.7-8). This highlights the value of genuine love in their relationship as Bassanio is forced to select the casket that accurately depicts his feelings for Portia.