E X T E n S i o n COMPOSITION AND SOURCES The Merchant of Venice was probably written between 1596 and 1598. it was entered1 in the Stationers register on 22nd July, 1598 and contains an allusion to the wealthy Andrew dock d in sand (Act 1, scene i). this is considered a reference to the San Andrés, a Spanish galleon captured during the offensive expedition to cadiz in April 1596, under the command of lord essex. Between 1600 and 1642, five editions of the play appeared: three quartos2 (1600, 1619 and 1637) and two folios3 (1623 and 1632). the title page of the first quarto (1600) describes the main themes and characters of the play: The most excellent Historie of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreame crueltie of Shylocke the Jewe towards the sayd Merchant, in cutting a just pound of his flesh: and the obtaining of Portia by the choice of three chests. As usual, Shakespeare took inspiration from various sources and transformed the material, adapting it to his own purposes. the story of the rich woman at Belmont who tests her suitors and confiscates their goods if they fail, for example, was the subject of the first tale of the fourth day in an italian collection called Il Pecorone or The Simpleton. it was written in the second half of the 15th century by Ser giovanni Fiorentino but published only in 1558. in this tale a suitor named giannetto da venezia wants to make a third attempt to win portia s hand, so he borrows money from a Jewish usurer but is unable 1. entered: recorded. 2. Quarto: volume with pages 1/4 of sheet. 3. folio: volume with pages half a sheet. 30