1 page, 430 words. The Homosexual Relationship Between Antonio and Bassanio in William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice Tsun-Hsien Tsai Sophomore Student, Department of English National Changhua University of Education There are many pairs of male adults with honorable masculine friendships appearing in William … Nevertheless, both Antonio and Bassanio repeat this mistake after Antonio is saved. The central romantic relationship of the play is that between Bassanio and Portia. B.A. He was the one who could make the greatest sacrifice at the altar of love. 239-262. The depth of their relationship is mirrored in the closeness shared between Portia and her ... Antonio's remarkably philanthropic gesture clearly denotes the love he has for the reckless Bassanio. ... She gives Bassanio a ring as a token of her love and insists that if he loses it or gives it away, their love will be over. Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. The homoerotic undertone of Antonio and Bassanio’s relationship is easily discussed by analyzing the dedication and declarations of love by Antonio because he does not have a heterosexual romantic relationship to counteract against his love for Bassanio. from Oxford University Ph.D. from St. Andrews University, Top subjects are Literature, History, and Law and Politics. While it could be argued that Bassanio and Portia are not really in love, there are several parts in the play in which someone could argue that they are indeed in love with one another. Bassanio, equally in love, insists on getting the challenge over with. What is a character sketch of the Prince of Morocco in. He admits to her that his wealth is very small, and he shares with her what he knows about his friend, Antonio. Tell her the process of Antonio’s end. Portia and Bassanio in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice “The Merchant of Venice” is a Shakespearean play based on the themes of friendship, racial prejudice, deceptive appearances and love, of which the most romantic is the love between Portia and Bassanio. (v) When Portia gives Bassanio a ring saying that if he parts with this ring, loses it through negligence or gives it to somebody else knowingly it will mean the loss of love between us. Because she's a practical woman, she's convinced herself to care for him anyway. Some distance grows between Antonio and Bassanio as Bassanio leaves Venice and his friend in order to go to Belmont and woo Portia. She appears to be so enchanted by him during the casket scene, she was very eager for him to choose the correct one and win her hand. Portia and Bassanio in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice “The Merchant of Venice” is a Shakespearean play based on the themes of friendship, racial prejudice, deceptive appearances and love, of which the most romantic is the love between Portia and Bassanio. For example, before Bassanio had the opportunity of choosing a casket, Portia considered him “worthy of thy praise” (I.ii.308-309). The “wooing” of Portia might lead the reader to believe that Bassanio’s feelings for Portia go deeper than his love of her wealth, however it is simply done to ensure that he can pay off Shylock’s loan with her money. Portia and Bassanio have presented their idyllic romantic love as something ideal; Gratiano readjusts the balance by the reminder that love is a physical as well as a spiritual union. Bassanio is a mirthful friend of Antonio ,who is in love with Portia.He is a spendthrift , who is constantly under debt. Get an answer for 'Describe the nature of Bassanio's relationship with Portia in Merchant of Venice. Her wealth is mentioned first, however. However, there is a deeper, almost unspoken tale linking these two stories together: the relationship between Bassanio and Antonio. I also agree that with the final acts of the play there will be more evidence to support Bassanio having true feelings for Portia, her wealth aside. Portia’s father seemed to have instilled values and love in Portia from a very young age. ©2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Last Updated by eNotes Editorial on December 31, 2019. After all this is said, Nerissa wishes good luck to the couple. Bassanio has talked about taking one more risk by throwing one second ‘arrow’. Having squandered his estate, he needs 3,000 ducats to subsidise his expenditures as a suitor. Does Bassanio genuinely love Portia or is he just after the money?' You can use a text widget to display text, links, images, HTML, or a combination of these. It was a token of Portia’s love and remembrance and if it was ever lost, it will mean the end of their love. What is a character sketch of the six suitors in The Merchant of Venice? However, I am not convinced that Bassanio falls in love with her, or even becomes infatuated with her. Parental love is presented through Portia’s father and Launcelot and Old Gobbo. Edit them in the Widget section of the. Already a member? 1 The Merchant of Venice (Cambridge, Mass., i955), p. lviii. However, when Bassanio receives a letter detailing Antonio’s lost ships, he is full of concern and explains to Portia that Antonio is his ‘dearest friend’ (3:2). Earlier in the play Bassanio borrows 3,000 ducats from Shylock on Antonio’s word that it will be paid back in full. In comparison to Petruchio & Kate’s relationship I agree that Portia and Bassanio are a much better couple. Antonio seems to like Bassanio in a romantic way. ... s friendship is meaningful but is not amendable to be part of the commercial transaction vis-à-vis the marriage between Bassanio and Portia. Bassanio turns to Portia, insisting that he must also have her consent, if they are to marry. Portia has presented a ring to Bassanio, extracting a promise from him that he will not lose it. I agree, I believe that Portia’s attraction to Bassanio “coupled” with Bassanio’s respect for Portia will cause the relationship to become a loving one. Bassanio wanted to get married to Portia because she was a beautiful and wealthy woman. He says that he has "disabled" his estate and is now much in debt, to Antonio most of all, with very little income. Bassanio: To you, Antonio, I owe the most, in money and in love Merchant of Venice (10) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: Bassanio: To you, Antonio, I owe the most, in money and in love; And from your love I have a warranty To unburden all my plots and purposes How to get clear of all the debts I owe. When they got married, Portia asked one thing from Bassanio, and he broke that promise rather quickly in their marriage. Portia, unlike Bassanio, seems to be truly in it for love, which is something that was not present on either side in Kate and Petruchio’s relationship. Bassanio is Antonio's best pal and the lucky guy who lands Portia, the richest and cutest girl in Belmont. Portia, on the other hand, seems like this is love at first sight. Bassanio presents his courtship of Portia to Antonio as a business venture. With Antonio’s ships having been struck with misfortune overseas, Shylock pounces on both with his strict insistence on the justice owed to him and a desire to now harm Antonio over his past grievances and affairs. Love often goes hand in hand with betrayal. Also, once she heard news that Bassanio was arriving to attempt to choose the correct casket, she was very excited to see him. To marry Portia, Bassanio must first challenge the casket test and choose one out of three caskets correctly. Your email address will not be published. Portia and Bassanio in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice “The Merchant of Venice” is a Shakespearean play based on the themes of friendship, racial prejudice, deceptive appearances and love, of which the most romantic is the love between Portia and Bassanio. When Bassanio with his train arrives to take the casket test, we get a love scene, which is arguably the best since Romeo and Juliet. And once we make this simple step, we will see that the main action of the play is centered on the struggle between Portia and Antonio for Bassanio's love. Bassanio and Portia already love each other, and after Bassanio guesses right, they get married. After reading The Taming of the Shrew, Bassanio and Portia’s relationship actually seems somewhat normal. After all this is said, Nerissa wishes good luck to the couple. Essentially, Bassanio risks a lot for those who care about him. To many, the main plot may seem to be the conflict between Antonio and Shylock, when in reality it’s the love that Antonio and Portia have for Bassanio that leads to everything. Wendy Carey. Nevertheless, both Antonio and Bassanio repeat this mistake after Antonio is saved. While Portia does not yet know the identity of this suitor as Bassanio, the audience, through the messenger’s words, gets a glimpse into Bassanio’s character in how he presents himself to Portia. Unlike all the other princes Portia had Bassanio, a brave and generous fellow, was really worthy of Portia because he knew what love demanded. First off, when one begins considering Bassanio, one should dismiss all the critics who condemn him for his financial habits. Whether Bassanio had not once a love (IV.i.273-77). Antonio loves Bassanio from the bosom of his heart and wishes to see him before the cunning Jew has taken his life away. He then announces his plan to restore his fallen fortunes: In Belmont is a lady richly left;And she is fair, and, fairer than that word,Of wondrous virtues: sometimes from her eyesI did receive fair speechless messages... From these four lines, we learn four things about Portia: she is rich, she is beautiful, she is virtuous and she seems to favor Bassanio, at least according to him. Earlier in the play Bassanio borrows 3,000 ducats from Shylock on Antonio’s word that it will be paid back in full. Bassanio and Portia's love and marriage, Gratianio and Nerissa's love and marriage Introduction In act 3 scene 2, Bassanio and Portia encounter each other. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. The “worth” of love gets further garbled as Bassanio talks to Antonio of his intentions to court Portia; the audience expects a lover´s distracted, excited manner as he praises his lady, yet a highly rational Bassanio first and foremost exalts her wealth: “in Belmont, there is a lady richly left” (I.i161); and, almost as an afterthought, tacks on “and she is fair” (I.i.162). The main plot is moved forward by the bonds the two have with Bassanio and the rivalry they have with each other. Great blog! When Bassanio with his train arrives to take the casket test, we get a love scene, which is arguably the best since Romeo and Juliet. In contrast, the other two couples - Lorenzo and Jessica, Gratiano and The “worth” of love gets further garbled as Bassanio talks to Antonio of his intentions to court Portia; the audience expects a lover´s distracted, excited manner as he praises his lady, yet a highly rational Bassanio first and foremost exalts her wealth: “in Belmont, there is a … Bassanio and Portia have expressed their love and commitment to each other. Portia gave Bassanio the ring to symbolize her love him and makes him promise to never give it up but when Portia pretends to be, Balthazar and asks for the ring Antonio’s first reaction is to refuse but Antonio convinces him to give Portia the ring, if Antonio can convince Bassanio to give up something that means so much to his wife then his feeling for Antonio must be very strong. Bassanio receives Antonio’s letter while he is with Portia and grows anxious that he has lost his ships at sea and failed to repay the loan. What is the reason for Antonio's sadness in Act 1, scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare? So, from this point of view, Bassanio can be accused of loving the beauty and wealth of Portia more than Portia herself. But, if we try to guess whether Bassanio would have shown any interest in Portia without her inheritance, the equation would be different. Bassanio is a fictional character in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.He is a Spendthrift who wasted all of his money in order to be seen as a respectable man. The stakes are as high as possible. I wouldn’t think that Bassanio loved Portia to begin with simply because he was just in it for the money and nothing more. She was taught to love and to be kind and that money could not buy love and happiness. We know, based on her of citing the Hercules myth, that Portia knows he is using her to get to her money. After reading The Taming of the Shrew, Bassanio and Portia’s relationship actually seems somewhat normal. Whether Bassanio had not once a love (IV.i.273-77). Portia who up until this point has been either warily polite or contemptuously dismissive, now displays a turmoil of emotion as she begs Bassanio to delay his choice: “I pray you tarry, pause a day or two While it is true that Bassanio came to try to woo Portia because of her status and wealth, as the play progresses, he becomes more infatuated with her. As a symbol confirming her love, she gives him a ring, with which he must promise never to part. i. Antonio’s love for Bassanio can be seen in act1 scene 3 by his decision of sacrificing his life to his b. Portia is in a position to disencumber Bassanio's estate and pay off his debts immediately if he can manage to marry her. Portia and Bassanio in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice 787 Words | 4 Pages. attention on Portia, Bassanio, and Antonio. Josephy Pequigney analyzes this relationship between the three characters. The Relationship Between Bassanio And Portia In The Merchant Of Venice. Women seem happy to give love, but they do so with a bit of cynicism. In Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" Portia and Bassanio have a one-sided romantic relationship in comparison to Shakespeare's Kate and Petruchio's relationship in "The Taming of the Shrew". The thing to know about Bassanio is that he loves his lavish lifestyle, but he's really bad with money, which is why he ends up borrowing from Shylock. Bassanio didn't come to woo Portia purely out of love, or that Portia wasn't able to choose her lover freely. But, if we try to guess whether Bassanio would have shown any interest in Portia without her inheritance, the equation would be different. Bassanio and Portia have expressed their love and commitment to each other. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. 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