The rather notorious terms of the bond agreed upon by Shylock, a money lender, and Antonio, a wealthy merchant, in act 1, scene 3, of The Merchant of Venice are preceded by a testy verbal exchange which explains much. Antonio has come to request a loan on behalf of his friend Bassanio, which will allow him to finance his courtship of the lovely Portia, whose wisdom is yet unknown to him.
Shylock, reminding his potential client of instances in which the merchant spat upon him while cursing him as a Jew and a usurer, asks him why he should now come to his aid. No hypocrite, Antonio tells him that he is likely to repeat this behavior. He tells Shylock that, if he will make this loan, he should "lend it rather to thine enemy, who, if he break, thou mayst with better face exact the penalty." This statement prompts the unusual terms of the bond:
If your repay me not on such a day,In such a place, such sum or sums as areExpress'd in the condition, let the forfeitBe nominated for an equal poundOf your fair flesh, to be cut off and takenIn what part of your body pleaseth me.
Despite Bassanio's unwillingness to accept such terms, Antonio assures his friend (wrongly, it turns out) that there is no possible danger that he will forfeit the bond.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-scholars-still-debate-whether-or-not-shakespeares-merchant-venice-anti-semitic-180958867/
The bond between Antonio and Shylock is signed in act 1, scene 3 of The Merchant of Venice. Antonio is requesting a loan of three thousand ducats from Shylock, a well-known moneylender in Venice. Shylock agrees to grant the loan to Antonio, but he places special provisions upon it. He states that if Antonio does not repay to him the exact amount required, upon the exact date and time of Shylock's stipulating, the penalty will be
an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me.
It is not in fact Antonio who is in need of money, but Bassanio, who would like to court Portia and needs three thousand ducats in order to do so. He has asked Antonio, who is rich, to take out the loan for him. However, upon hearing the terms, Bassanio shrinks from the idea of Antonio promising such a thing for him, but Antonio assures him that it will all be well, and that he will not "forfeit" the bond—that is, he is sure that he will be able to pay on time. Shylock imposes such cruel terms upon Antonio because he has felt "enmity" towards him for a long time, partly because Antonio is a Christian, but also because Antonio is known to lend money for nothing, which reduces Shylock's business and drives up the rates of usuary in Venice, according to Shylock.
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