venice (italy)

"Venice is sinking! More and more water floods the plazas, but people are working to save this historic Italian city. What can they do, with rising water all around?"--Back cover.

A young Venetian named Bassino longs to woo the beautiful Portia, but he doesn't have enough money to become her suitor. He enlists the help of his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant of Venice, who promises to cover the bond if he finds a money lender. A money lender named Shylock agrees to grant Bassino the loan upon one condition: if Antonio is unable to repay it at the specified date, Shylock may take a pound of Antonio's flesh. With his newfound money, Bassino successfully wins Portia's hand in marriage, but Antonio's ships are reported lost at sea, so the merchant cannot repay the bond. Shylock takes Antonio to the court of the Duke of Venice, but Portia, disguised as a male lawyer, saves his life.

Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, marries a senator's daughter named Desdemona. His ensign, Iago, is jealous that Othello promoted another man above him and decides to take his revenge on the Moor. He slowly convinces Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful which leads Othello to kill his wife. When he discovers that Iago lied to him, Othello attacks Iago and later commits suicide.

Venetian moneylender Shylock insists that one of his contracts be followed even when it means the death of Antonio, a merchant. The wealthy and beautiful Portia helps defend Antonio in front of the Duke of Venice to defeat Shylock.

Cartoons and facts combine to provide an overview of what it was like to travel with Marco Polo during the late thirteenth century.

Frustrated with the restrictions her gender imposes on her life, fourteen-year-old Donata, disguised as a boy, sneaks out of her noble family's house to roam the streets of late sixteenth-century Venice and then must confront the repercussions of her actions.

Presents Shakespeare's play in which Antonio, a Venetian merchant, finds himself in debt to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, for a painful sum.

Iago, jealous of Othello's successes in the army of Venice, plots against him, pretending to be Othello's friend while manipulating him and turning him against his wife, Desdemona.

Othello appoints Cassio his chief lieutenant, but Iago believes he should have gotten the appointment and plots revenge against both Othello and Cassio.

Presents the text of Shakespeare's classic play about a creditor who demands a pound of flesh in payment for a defaulted debt and a lover who must solve a riddle to win the woman of his dreams.