The Merchant of Venice is an Elizabethan tragicomedy in which William Shakespeare mixes concepts found in tragic works with typical plot forms of comedy. Tragicomedies usually include characters considered upper-class and others of middle and lower classes. Serious times of distress that seem to be leading to a tragic conclusion are suddenly transformed to bring about a happy ending. The Merchant of Venice fits these criteria perfectly because Shakespeare introduces humor into his overall plot.

In the literary sense, humor is not necessarily a device used to elicit hearty laughter. The playwright does not rely on wit or comic utterances to stimulate an audience's reaction. Instead, Shakespeare infuses comic appearance into the play at the precise time when the stress level of the characters reaches a peak. By doing so, he abruptly changes tragedy into comedy to produce a happy ending.

The distress factor presented in this drama is demonstrated on two levels. First, the protagonist Antonio risks his life to help his friend Bassanio marry Portia. He enters into an oppressive contract with a ruthless moneylender, Shylock, in order to finance his friend’s journey to Portia’s homeland:

If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

When misfortune strikes and Antonio cannot repay the loan, Shylock demands his pound of flesh. In an effort to save Antonio’s life as repayment for his kindness, Portia disguises herself as Balthasar, a male lawyer, and appears in court on his behalf. Nerissa, Portia’s lady-in-waiting, disguises herself as a male law clerk to help with the deception.

The second level of stress presented in a subplot surrounds the promises made by Bassanio to Portia and Gratiano to Nerissa with regard to their wedding rings symbolizing the strength of true love. Both spouses pledge never to lose or relinquish their wedding rings at the risk of ending their marriages. However, at the successful conclusion of Antonio’s trial, Bassanio and Gratiano, not recognizing their disguised spouses, agree to give their rings to Balthasar and Stephano. By doing so, they have broken their pledges, and their marriages are threatened.

In the end, the circumstances are explained to everyone’s satisfaction and all is well. Shakespeare has shown through his injection of humor at the crisis points in the drama that selfless, dedicated love in marriage and among friends is the most important element in human relationships.