In Belmont, Portia greets potential husbands at her residence with a test designed by her father prior to his death. The test is a choice of one of three boxes: gold, silver, or lead. Each box contains a short poem and an explanation of one’s choice. All suitors have failed, and they have not been regarded as being suitable husbands by Portia as well.
Back in Venice, Shylock goes to dinner at Antonio’s house. Shylock warns his daughter to not go to the Christian masquerade and to keep the house locked. Bassiano makes plans to go to Belmont to court Portia with his companion Gratiano. Gratiano, Salerio, and Lorenzo, Bassiano and Antonio’s friends, go to Shylock’s house wearing masks. They take Jessica, who has fallen in love with Lorenzo, away. She has disguised herself as a boy, and she has stolen money and jewels from Shylock. Shylock returns home and becomes terribly angry with his daughter’s actions.