ANTONIO IN ACT I SCENE I

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

by William Shakespeare

Completed: 2022

Rating (X/10): 10

ANTONIO IN ACT I SCENE I

At a first read of Act 1, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Antonio could be construed as rather flat and boring in. A deeper analysis of Antonio in 1.1 shows not a boring man, but a sad and regretful man, albeit a successful man. Antonio speaks of himself as sad, but “[…] such a want-wit sadness makes of me, that I have much ado to know myself” (Shakespeare 1.1.6-7). He tells his friends that he doesn’t know the source of his sadness. Antonio claims that his sadness is not derived from his work as a merchant trader, and he also denies that love is the root of his sadness; however, with clever wordplay and sexual innuendos, Antonio admits his love, lust, and sadness for Bassanio. When Antonio tells his friends, “My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, nor to one place,” he is metaphorically speaking of merchant work as sexual exploits (Shakespeare 1.1.41-42). Bassanio tells Antonio that he cannot continue their relationship when he says, “To you, Antonio, I owe the most, in money and in love; And from your love I have a warranty to unburden all of my plots and purposes how to get clear of all the debts I owe” (Shakespeare 1.1.130-134). In a response saturated in sexual metaphor, Antonio tells Bassanio, “And if it stand, as you yourself still do, within the eye of honour, be assured my purse, my person, my extremest means, lie all unlock to your occasions” (Shakespeare 1.1.135-139). Bassanio tells Antonio that he is bankrupt, but if he can borrow money, he will be able to travel to Belmont and wed a wealthy Lady, Portia. Antonio agrees to seek funding on behalf of Bassanio, but his motive for doing so is somewhat opaque. Antonio is a merchant who makes his money from trade deals, and as such, is willing to finance Bassanio’s trade deal, regardless that it is a trade deal for a person rather than for goods. Despite being a merchant, Antonio is, in Shakespeare’s own terminology, a “cuckold” for Bassanio, and Antonio is willing to do anything for Bassanio, even financing his love for Portia. As Dr. Curtis tells us, “One thing is for certain; we have an opposition between these two realms, [and this] opposition is one of deadly rivalry. [Antonio] seems to be aware of this problem. […] Does [Portia] understand that Antonio is a rival to her for Bessanio’s love?” (Curtis). It is difficult to say whether Portia is aware of the sexual relationship between Antonio and Bassanio, namely because Portia offers to repay the loan and also disguises herself as a man to save Antonio’s life. Perhaps she loves Bassanio so much that she is willing to do anything to help him, even going so far as helping his other lover.

Works Cited

Curtis, Carl. “Introduction to The Merchant of Venice: Venice vs. Belmont.” Liberty University. Accessed 12 October 2022. Video. https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/33....

Shakespeare, William. “The Merchant of Venice.” The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Barnes and Noble, Inc. New York, New York. 2015. p.388-415. Print.





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