The Character Of Antonio In Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice

Decent Essays
William Shakespeare wrote very problematic plays regarding war, religion, and love during the 16th century. In his play The Merchant of Venice he writes of another troublesome romance between Antonio, a wealthy merchant and his unrequited love Bassiano, an extreme partier. Despite his respectability and popularity, Antonio is an emotionally unstable character. Antonio’s mood and overall outlook on life depend on variables he can not control. The entirety of his money is at sea involved in mercantile deals, out of his management, but most of all his love for his best friend Bassanio is simply just not as strongly returned back him. When Bassiano seems to give Antonio attention his mentality becomes positive although when Bassanio’s relationship …show more content…
(1.1.13)
Antonio has already willingly offered up his “purse”, his money, but he also makes statement offering his “person” as well. By offering his “person” he offers himself and his body Antonio could be implying he wants a sexual relationship with Bassanio. His dialogue becomes lively and emotional while speaking of Bassanio awaking his zest for life and happiness.
When he accepts he is going to pass on, he tells Bassanio, "Say how I cherished you," and appears happy to be paying Bassanio's obligation with his life. (Bbc.co.uk, 2017) Antonio is content with the idea that his death could repay Bassanio’s death. Antonio’s loyalty to Bassanio is truly shown through his genuine happiness to endure death for Bassanio.
Antonio’s depression becomes evident when Bassanio is not around or when love seems to be with someone else. Antonio starts the play in a episode of distress as he explains his feelings to Salarino and
…show more content…
(1.1.1) Even Antonio is unsure of how he is so unhappy. Salarino expresses it may be because his ships are constantly at risk while at sea, although Antonio assures him it is not that. Salarino suggests he could be lovesick. Antonio has been told of the beautiful Portia by Bassanio and could be resenting the fact he could lose the love of his life. Yet again Bassanio is altering Antonio’s emotions, but this time for the worst. After much time has passed and the trial comes, Antonio has lost all his emotion. Bassanio has gone to marry Portia and Antonio is ready to die in court. Before the trial Antonio believes the bond was fair and he will abide by it. He tell the Duke that plans to respond to Shylock “with a quietness of spirit” (4.1.57) Although after the trial occurs the outcome is nothing as Antonio expected. Bassanio has responded to his letter and come to the trial and an intelligent doctor broke apart the case and set Antonio free of Bassanio’s debt. Antonio encourages Bassanio to give up his ring to repay the doctor for his miracle work, the ring Portia gave him and said to never lose. Bassanio declines at first but Antonios jealous feelings become prominent when he convinces Bassanio to hand over the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Tony worries about Ultima because of Tenorio obsession over having vengeance on her. Antonio worries about there being a God and the connection with him. The first communion confused him because he hadn't received an answer from God. He was expecting a connection to God and having his question answered from God. " A thousand questions pushed through my mind, but the voice within me did not answer" pg 221.…

    • 1437 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hatred In Bless Me Ultima

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages

    (169). These like many other things that he has said have shown the hatred in his heart. These include coming to Antonio’s house with a mob to kill Ultima for being a witch and for killing his first daughter. In addition his daughters cursed Antonio’s uncle Lucas and when Ultima confronts him he says: “Ay bruja!’ Tenorio threatened with his fist, ‘For what you have said to shame my daughters and my good name in front of those men, I will see you dead’” (94).…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    With these realizations, Antonio becomes a fine young boy who understands the changes happening around him and a person who is ready to…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Then Antonio says that he has sinned which shows that although he has all of these new ideas and realizations, he still does not know what to believe and where to place his faith. He transitions multiple times back and forth in his thoughts between his beliefs of the golden carp and his Catholic faith. When Antonio clasps his hands together to pray it shows his desperation to fully believe in his Catholic faith without any contradictions. It is significant that he is about to pray but never does because of the waters of the pond exploding. The pond water exploding symbolizes the violence and extremeness of the internal battle he is having.…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Children are such curious creatures. They explore, question, and wonder, and by doing so, learn. From the moment of birth, we humans are drawn to new things. When we are curious about something new, we want to explore it. And while exploring we discover, asking ourselves questions to fortify our curiosity.…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Othello in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello experiences cruelty that in the end kills him. Othello showcases the idea that all people have enate cruelty that emanates throughout. Shakespeare creates sadistic characters to show how race, gender, and class can all be perpetrators of cruelty. One of the main reasons Othello experiences cruelties is his race.…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Shakespeare’s Othello the idea of love and manipulation of false feelings is an important factor ???. Shakespeare allows the audience to view love in its best and worst forms. Throughout Othello the thematic representation of self-love, brotherly and romantic loves are clearly visible. Through the interactions of the characters, love decides their fate. Compassion and feelings of humanity among the characters Iago and Roderigo, Desdemona and Emilia and Cassio and Desdemona in Othello propel a sense of brotherly love.…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Othello” In Shakespeare amazing movie “Othello” we see how believing others and not trusting your intuition can cause death not just upon you but others you love. The start of the movie we saw how Othello proved his love for his wife by standing up to his wife Desmonada father when he was told by Cassio and Lago that she was forced into marrying Othello. We not only saw how much he loved Desmonada, but also how courageous he was by standing up to his father in law and telling the lords if he wasn’t telling the truth they should take his life. After proving that he was not forcing Desmonada to be with him Desmonada father told him that Desmonada will fail him just like she failed him. Othello leaves Venice and returns with a victory.…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The tragedy of Othello was highly influenced by Iago’s manipulation of perception. This was illustrated, when Iago exploited Rodrigo’s unrealistic and self-serving love for Desdemona. Also, including when Iago willfully misled Cassio’s judgement by utilizing his fixation with class. And notably demonstrated, with Iago as he precisely disoriented Othello’s reassurance in his wife, Desdemona’s faithfulness. Othello was fused to the idea of an uncertain reality that was deliberately deceived by Iago.…

    • 1007 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Theme Of Trust In Othello

    • 1639 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Shakespeare’s introduction of the characters allows him to communicate Othello’s calm and composed state of mind as a result of his balanced trust between Desdemona and Iago. Through Othello’s rationale behind loving Desdemona, Shakespeare displays the resulting strong bond of trust between the two and its impact upon Othello’s mental state. Amidst the controversial announcement of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, Othello declares that “[Desdemona loves] me for the dangers I [have] passed,/And I [love] her for that she [does] pity them” (1.3.166-167). Here, Othello asserts that he loves, and in extension trusts, Desdemona because of her ability to support and validate him. This history of loyalty and ‘pity’ refers to the basis of Othello’s…

    • 1639 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In the time period that John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi was written, women had absolutely no sexual agency. Divided into categories of Madonna or Whore, women had impossible expectations to live up to. While marriage is the one institution in which it is socially acceptable for a woman to be sexual, the play subverts this. That Webster has the Duchess’ brothers the Cardinal and Antonio’s critique her for remarrying makes the categories of Madonna and Whore indistinct, thus demonstrating policing woman’s sexuality is useless.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Othello becomes a tragedy of incomprehension where hate, manipulation and revenge derive from the arrogant and blinded nature of the characters and their interactions with one another. Within the Aristotelian tragedy of ‘Othello’, the attribute of incomprehension creates the ultimate downfall of Othello through Rodrigo’s initial and prevalent manipulation by Iago to further his plans, Iago’s inability to comprehend Othello’s genuine trust for him which fuels his blinded revenge and Othello’s incomprehension of Desdemona’s loyalty towards him which leads to his jealous rage and in turn, his death. Alongside Othello’s gradual buildup of jealousy throughout the play by Iago’s masterful plans, the downfall of Othello ultimately demonstrates the…

    • 1242 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Bassanio asked Antonio to ask for a loan from a Jewish moneylender named Shylock, because he was certain that Shylock would rather lend the money to Antonio than him. He promised Antonio that he will repay all the money he takes from Shylock in time, which was three months, as soon as his ships sail in from Europe. Shylock agreed to this loan but the condition was that if Antonio isn’t able to pay the money in time he will have to cut Antonio’s flesh that is worth as much as 3000 ducats. After the three months passed Bassanio wasn’t able to give the money back to Antonio and he had to appear in front of the court of…

    • 938 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Shylock actually spoke well of Antonio before he came in the scene to Bassanio. Shylock referring to his business history says, "my meaning in saying he is a good man is to have you understand…

    • 1349 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Antonio, who was actually not a character with an approach of gentleman inside him appeared to be helpful and generous in first part. But in third part, he reveals his other side by treating Shylock ill. Bassanio defines his love for Portia for her grace, charm and beauty reality reveals the truth that he loved Portia for her wealth not for her personal attributes. Their love seemed to be mark less in first part but later it was stained by the stigma of greed. Portia and Nerissa were dressed up in masculine apparels to defend Antonio.…

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays