Antonio

The Merchant of Venice | Antonio (Character Analysis) Antonio is a merchant of Venice and dear friend to Bassanio. His decision to enter a bond with Shylock, risking a pound of his own flesh for Bassanio’s debt, is one of the two major plots of the play. Antonio is an interesting character insofar as he tends to feel in extremes, but he speaks in a moderate and balanced way. His hatred for Shylock is never disputed – he’s quick to assert that while he’s spit on Shylock before, he’d be happy to do it again. Shylock repeatedly tells us Antonio has been awfully and unnecessarily cruel, and this hatred for the Jew is balanced only by Antonio’s deep and seemingly inexplicable love for Bassanio. Repeatedly throughout the play, Antonio offers and risks everything he has for his friend – even his own life – and never regrets it. While the two men have what they both agree is a deep friendship, Antonio’s involvement with (and his generosity to) Bassanio definitely invites some speculation. Antonio opens the play with a discussion of his great sadness. He explicitly says his merchandise isn’t the source of his woe, and we’re left to wonder what’s going on with him – until Bassanio enters. As soon as Antonio has a chance to speak to his friend privately, the first thing on his mind is the woman Bassanio is wooing. It becomes clear that Antonio has asked about it before and has been promised an answer this day. One might clearly draw a link between Antonio’s sadness and the weight of Bassanio’s impending courtship – Antonio is suffering because he is about to lose his friend. The question in the subtext is whether the feelings Antonio has for Bassanio go well beyond the bounds of friendship and cross over into the territory of romantic love. This might explain Antonio’s sadness, his willingness to do anything for Bassanio, and most importantly, his constant need to contrast his friendship with the man to Portia’s love for him. He calls Bassanio away from what should be his wedding night to see him in Venice, and as he prepares to die in court, tells Bassanio to have Portia be the judge of these proceedings. She will have to decide whether “Bassanio had not once a love.” (That is, if he had ever had a love before.) Antonio cannot love Bassanio the way he wants to, and can give him neither marriage nor money (as Portia can). If he were to sacrifice his life for Bassanio, he would be doing one thing greater than Portia ever would or could. His offer of a pound of flesh is a symbolic chance for his flesh to be meaningful to Bassanio. Even once Antonio is off the hook, he pressures Bassanio to give away Portia’s ring, claiming that his own love to Bassanio and what Balthazar deserves should be greater than Portia’s commandment. This tension is weakly resolved at the end of the play when it is revealed that Portia has given Antonio his life back twice – once in court disguised as Balthazar, and once more with the news of the successful ships. Antonio has been warmly welcomed by Portia, but her actions have managed to assert that her love for Bassanio, and her power (shown by what she can give) subordinate Antonio’s friendship with Bassanio to her marriage. One of the play’s great ironies is that Antonio ends up alone. In this way there is a link between Antonio and Shylock, as each has no chance of being accepted into any pairing or love at the end of the play. Antonio, like Shylock, is ultimately left outside. In the clearest sense, Antonio is excluded from marriage, but he’s also relegated to something of an outsider position in Bassanio’s life, not as his main love, but as a friend. Throughout the play, Antonio’s speech has been resigned and dotted with flourishes of vitality only when he speaks of his love for Bassanio. It seems Antonio might suffer the same limitations of being an outsider that many other characters do: Shylock because he is Jewish, Portia because she is a woman, and here Antonio because he loves Bassanio, a man, more than anything else. Antonio’s personal exile might do wonders to explain (though not justify) his cruel treatment of Shylock. Once again, the two merchants of Venice are in the same boat: Antonio, like Shylock, might be a victim of circumstances beyond his control. Ultimately, whether Antonio is cruel, repressed, a raging anti-Semite, loving, or generous to a fault, it is certain that he himself declared his role in the play’s first scene: if all the world is a stage where every man has his part, then Antonio’s role is surely a sad one. Antonio Timeline and Summary • 1.1.1: Antonio is really sad, but he says he doesn’t know why. • 1.1.41: Antonio says he’s not worried about his fortune, as he’s hedged his bets. His money is tied up in a bunch of different ships, and anyway, not all his fortune relies on this year’s profits. Still, Antonio unequivocally states it is not merchandise that is the source of his sadness. • 1.1.46: Antonio says simply: “Fie, fie!” to the possibility that he might be in love. “Fie” is an exclamation that expresses mild annoyance, or also a humorous pretense of being shocked, so maybe Antonio isn’t really saying he isn’t in love after all. • 1.1.77: Antonio agrees with Gratiano’s assessment that he’s looking quite down. He says he only looks at the world as the world, a stage where every man must play his role. Antonio’s resigned himself to believing his is a sad role. • 1.1.113: After Gratiano’s long speech about how life is and should be, he leaves; Antonio is left to scoff, “It is that—anything now!” Essentially, this means the world is as one says, or whatever you want to make it. (That is, he’s a relativist.) • 1.1.119: Antonio asks Bassanio who exactly the lady was that he just saw secretly. He says Bassanio promised to tell him her identity today. • 1.1.135: Hearing Bassanio might need some money, Antonio immediately offers to do whatever he can, on his honor, whether with his money, his character, or some extreme means that might help Bassanio. • 1.1.153: Antonio tells Bassanio to stop all the justifying and explaining of what he needs – this is a dishonor to their friendship and Antonio’s love of Bassanio (he said that, not us). Antonio reiterates that he’ll do whatever Bassanio wants him to do. • 1.1.177: Antonio says all of his money is at sea, so he’s currently out of the cash loop. As he can’t just give Bassanio the dough with which to woo Portia, he suggests Bassanio try to raise whatever money he can on his (Antonio’s) credit, which he’s willing to stretch to the limit. He sends Bassanio on this task, and tells him not to even think about the money. • 1.3.61: Antonio says he usually wouldn’t lend or borrow money on interest, but he’s willing to step away from his principles for Bassanio. He outlines the facts: they’ll need 3000 ducats from Shylock, and again, Antonio reminds the merchant he doesn’t usually deal in interest. • 1.3.75: Antonio is sharply skeptical of Shylock’s Biblical tale of Jacob and Uncle Laban’s lamb. He says the story doesn’t illustrate that thrift is good, but only that the hand of heaven is all-powerful and can make things turn out one way or another as it pleases. (That would take a mighty big hand. And you know what they say about mighty big hands: they’re heavenly.) Antonio suggests Shylock is fishing around for any story that can make interest seem like a good thing. (So of course he turns to the Bible, which can be used to defend or support any position, ever.) • 1.3.97: Antonio tells Bassanio to take note: the devil can cite anything from Scripture if it suits his purposes. Antonio suggests that Shylock is an evil soul who tries to provide holy evidence for his naughty deeds. • 1.3.130: Shylock has just pointed out that it’s a bit ridiculous that Antonio spits on him, literally, every chance he gets, and now has come to ask him for some money. Antonio doesn’t deny that he treats Shylock poorly. Instead, he says he’ll very likely scorn and spit at Shylock again. He reminds the merchant that this is a business venture, not a friendship. Antonio says if he breaks the deal with Shylock, then Shylock can have the penalty from Antonio without any shame, which would not be the case if they were friends. • 1.3.152: Antonio says he’s content to seal the bond with Shylock that promises away a pound of his own flesh should he not repay the sun. He even goes so far as to say it shows Shylock’s kindness. • 1.3.156: Antonio soothes Bassanio, who is wary of Antonio taking on such a bond. Antonio is certain that within two months (one month before payment is even due) he’ll get some returns back on his merchandising that are worth 9000 ducats, easy. Antonio is certain – cocky even – that he won’t forfeit the bond. • 1.3.177: Antonio has accepted Shylock’s offer of the bond. Once Shylock leaves, Antonio says he must be turning from a Hebrew into a Christian, as there is no other way to explain the man’s newfound kindness. • 1.3.180: The scene ends with Antonio once again insisting that his ships will come in, and early, so there’s nothing for his dear Bassanio to worry about. • 2.6.62: Antonio throws some “fie” around at Gratiano, whom he’s been looking for, and tells him the wind is good for sailing – they’ve decided not to go to the masque after all, but Bassanio’s ship will sail tonight instead. • 3.3.3: Antonio, faced with angry Shylock and a jailer, makes a mild plea. “Hear me yet, good Shylock.” • 3.3.19: Antonio repeats his plea once more to Shylock in the same simple way before giving up entirely. He says he understands Shylock wants his life, and Antonio thinks he knows why: he himself often saved the men (financially) who had been stuck in debt to Shylock. • 3.3.26: Antonio is sure the Duke can’t do anything to help him. He points out that foreign nationals (whom he calls “strangers”) have special status to be able to trade in Venice. To deny any of those “strangers” would leave the state open to accusations against its upholding of the law. He admits that trade and profit of the city is something that non-citizens add to as well. Antonio adds that he’s so stricken and reduced by his grief and losses that Shylock will be lucky if he can even get a pound of flesh off of him. Finally, Antonio adds that so long as Bassanio comes to see him before he pays the debt (maybe with his life), nothing else really matters. • 4.1.6: Antonio acknowledges that the Duke has really tried to sneak him out of this one, but to no avail. He notes that the law leaves him open to Shylock’s will and malice. Antonio says he’ll oppose Shylock’s fury with patience, and he’s willing to suffer against Shylock’s “tyranny and rage” with a quietness of spirit. • 4.1.70: Antonio is wholly resigned to his fate – he says it’s worthless to plead and question with Shylock, as nothing is harder than a Jewish heart. Given this empirical evidence he’s provided, Antonio says he’d like to hurry up and just get to the judgment and the penalty already. • 4.1.114: As Bassanio says he’d rather offer himself up entirely than have one drop of Antonio’s blood spilled on his account, Antonio responds with a martyr-like speech. He says he is the sickliest sheep of the flock, a wether, which literally means a castrated ram. As the weakest, he’s the best suited for death. The weakest fruit drops to the ground first, so Bassanio would do better to live after him and write his epitaph. • 4.1.181: Antonio admits to Portia that he is the defendant in the trial and that he indeed made the bond with Shylock. Antonio, like Shylock, urges everyone to get around to giving the judgment already, so he doesn’t drown in his own tears. • 4.1.264: Antonio bids Bassanio an emotional goodbye, claiming he’s armed and prepared to meet death. He tells Bassanio not to be sad that it’s come to this. Rather, he should remember it as a stroke of good luck that Antonio couldn’t live long enough to become a poor person. Antonio tells Bassanio he wants him to talk about him to Bassanio’s wife, who will then judge Antonio’s love for Bassanio. All Bassanio should be sorry for is that he’s losing his friend, no more. • 4.1.380: After Portia turns the tables and Shylock is defeated under the law, Antonio says he’s fine if the court wants to reduce its claims against half of Shylock’s stuff to a simple fine. As for Antonio’s half, he’d like it to be held in preservation for Lorenzo, Jessica’s new husband, and handed over once Shylock is dead. Antonio's last two commands are that Shylock become a Christian and that he record something in court assuring that his daughter is heir to all that he owns. • 4.1.413: After the trial, Antonio tells Portia that he’s indebted to her forever in love and service, still thinking she’s the man Balthazar (all of which makes a bit more sense when we remember that Portia makes a very pretty boy….). • 4.1.449: Antonio encourages Bassanio to give Balthazar Portia’s ring. He says Balthazar is deserving and Antonio’s own love should be valued above Portia’s demands. • 5.1.238: When the wives are ranting, Antonio laments that he’s the cause of all the quarreling over the rings Bassanio and Gratiano have given away. He wagers his soul that Bassanio will never break his faith with Portia. Portia then hands Antonio the ring in question, which Antonio passes on to Bassanio. He makes Bassanio swear to keep the ring. • 5.1.279: Antonio is struck speechless by Portia’s news that his ships have made it safely home. He tells her she has given him life and living.