A modern audience would respond to Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' differently to the early 1600s audience because the play is meant to be comedy. The first audience would laugh and a modern audience wouldn't because the language is difficult to understand as many words have changed. Main differences would be would be the vocabulary and terms used in the 17th century. 'Launcelot says ' turn up your right hand at the next turning, but …showed first 75 words of 1621 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1621 total…them in a sarcastic way because they know who the lawyers are. In the end everyone is happy apart from Shylock because he has to change his religion, didn't get his bond, his only daughter Jessica went to marry Lorenzo and lost all of his money. Portia and Bassanio are happily married; Nerissa and Gratiario are also happily married. Antonio is happy because he got his life back and he's got half of Shylock's money.