Both plays introduce the main characters Antonio and Hamlet as melancholic, a psychological disharmony seen throughout both plays. Antonio precise melancholy is never established, but it can be taken as a premonition of the suffering he endures in the course of the play. He lacks interest in romance and although his foreign investments establish him as a prosperous merchant, he seems to almost welcome his unhappiness. Hamlet melancholy is understandable at the beginning of the …showed first 75 words of 1129 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1129 total…the common people are disturbed and murmuring among themselves. Harmony is restored somewhat restored in both plays at the end. In the "In the Merchant of Venice" Portia appears as an unbiased legal authority. Portia's actions restore justice instead of perverting it. Shylock's life is spared and Antonio is debt free. In "Hamlet" harmony is restored through Fortinbras who clearly represents a strong willed, capable leader who will restore the moral authority of the state.