Which play by Shakespeare features the character Shylock?

The Shakespeare play featuring the character Shylock is The Merchant of Venice. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in the play who lends 3,000 ducats to Bassanio, with Antonio guaranteeing the loan.

The agreement includes the notorious penalty of a pound of Antonio’s flesh if the debt is not repaid. When Antonio’s ships are reported lost, Shylock attempts to enforce the bond, leading to the courtroom scene in which Portia, disguised as a lawyer, argues that he may claim flesh but cannot shed Antonio’s blood.

First published in 1600, the play is classified as a comedy in the First Folio, partly because it ends with marriages and the restoration of financial security. Modern audiences often focus more heavily on its disturbing treatment of Shylock, including the forced conversion imposed on him. The play’s status as comedy and its portrayal of antisemitism have therefore remained subjects of major critical and theatrical debate.