1. Antonio – A wealthy merchant of Venice who is willing to borrow money from Shylock to help his friend Bassanio.

2. Bassanio – A young Venetian nobleman who is in love with Portia and borrows money from Antonio to finance his courtship.

3. Portia – A wealthy heiress from Belmont who is sought after by many suitors and ultimately marries Bassanio.

4. Shylock – A Jewish moneylender who lends money to Antonio and demands a pound of his flesh as collateral.

5. Jessica – Shylock’s daughter who elopes with Lorenzo, a Christian, and converts to Christianity.

6. Lorenzo – A friend of Bassanio who elopes with Jessica and helps Portia and Nerissa in their disguises.

7. Nerissa – Portia’s waiting woman who marries Gratiano, a friend of Bassanio.

8. Gratiano – A friend of Bassanio who marries Nerissa and accompanies Bassanio to Belmont.

9. Launcelot Gobbo – A clownish servant of Shylock who leaves his service to work for Bassanio.

10. Old Gobbo – Launcelot’s blind father who seeks his son’s help in finding Shylock’s house.