Summary
Bassanio, a young Venetian of noble rank, wishes to woo the
beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia of Belmont. Having squandered
his estate, he needs 3,000 ducats to subsidise his expenditures as a suitor.
Bassanio approaches his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant of Venice who
has previously and repeatedly bailed him out. Antonio agrees, but since he is
cash-poor – his ships and merchandise are busy at sea – he promises to cover a
bond if Bassanio can find a lender, so Bassanio turns to the Jewish moneylender
Shylock and names Antonio as the loan's guarantor.
Antonio has already antagonized Shylock
through his outspoken antisemitism, and because Antonio's habit of lending money
without interest forces Shylock to charge lower rates. Shylock is at first
reluctant to grant the loan, citing abuse he has suffered at Antonio's hand. He
finally agrees to lend the sum to Bassanio without interest upon one condition:
if Bassanio is unable to repay it at the specified date, Shylock may take a pound of
Antonio's flesh. Bassanio does not want Antonio to accept such a risky
condition; Antonio is surprised by what he sees as the moneylender's generosity
(no "usance" – interest – is asked for), and he signs the contract.
With money at hand, Bassanio leaves for Belmont with his friend Gratiano, who
has asked to accompany him. Gratiano is a likeable young man, but is often
flippant, overly talkative, and tactless. Bassanio warns his companion to
exercise self-control, and the two leave for Belmont.
Meanwhile, in Belmont, Portia is awash with
suitors. Her father left a will stipulating
each of her suitors must choose correctly from one of three caskets – one each
of gold, silver and lead. If he picks the right casket, he gets Portia. The
first suitor, the Prince of Morocco, chooses the gold casket, interpreting its
slogan, "Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire", as
referring to Portia. The second suitor, the conceited Prince of Arragon,
chooses the silver casket, which proclaims, "Who chooseth me shall get as
much as he deserves", as he believes he is full of merit. Both suitors
leave empty-handed, having rejected the lead casket because of the baseness of
its material and the uninviting nature of its slogan, "Who chooseth me
must give and hazard all he hath". The last suitor is Bassanio, whom
Portia wishes to succeed, having met him before. As Bassanio ponders his
choice, members of Portia's household sing a song which says that
"fancy" (not true love) is "engend'red in the eyes, / With
gazing fed";[3] Bassanio
chooses the lead casket and wins Portia's hand.
At Venice, Antonio's ships are reported lost
at sea so the merchant cannot repay the bond. Shylock has become more
determined to exact revenge from Christians because his daughter Jessica eloped
with the Christian Lorenzo and converted. She took a substantial amount of
Shylock's wealth with her, as well as a turquoise ring which Shylock had been
given by his late wife, Leah. Shylock has Antonio brought before court.
At Belmont, Bassanio receives a letter telling
him that Antonio has been unable to repay the loan from Shylock. Portia and
Bassanio marry, as do Gratiano and Portia's handmaid Nerissa. Bassanio and
Gratiano leave for Venice, with money from Portia, to save Antonio's life by
offering the money to Shylock. Unknown to Bassanio and Gratiano, Portia sent
her servant, Balthazar, to seek the counsel of Portia's cousin, Bellario, a
lawyer, at Padua.
The climax of the play takes place in the
court of the Duke of Venice. Shylock refuses Bassanio's
offer of 6,000 ducats, twice the amount of the loan. He demands his pound of
flesh from Antonio. The Duke, wishing to save Antonio but unable to nullify a
contract, refers the case to a visitor. He identifies himself as Balthazar, a
young male "doctor of the law", bearing a letter of recommendation to
the Duke from the learned lawyer Bellario. The doctor is Portia in disguise,
and the law clerk who accompanies her is Nerissa, also disguised as a man. As
Balthazar, Portia repeatedly asks Shylock to show mercy in a famous speech, advising
him that mercy "is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that
takes" (IV, i, 185). However, Shylock adamantly refuses any compensations
and insists on the pound of flesh.
As the court grants Shylock his bond and
Antonio prepares for Shylock's knife, Portia deftly appropriates Shylock's
argument for "specific performance". She says that the contract
allows Shylock only to remove the flesh, not the "blood",
of Antonio (see quibble). Thus, if Shylock were to shed any
drop of Antonio's blood, his "lands and goods" would be forfeited
under Venetian laws. She tells him that he must cut precisely one pound of
flesh, no more, no less; she advises him that "if the scale do turn, But
in the estimation of a hair, Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate."
Defeated, Shylock concedes to accepting
Bassanio's offer of money for the defaulted bond, first his offer to pay
"the bond thrice", which Portia rebuffs, telling him to take his
bond, and then merely the principal, which Portia also prevents him from doing
on the ground that he has already refused it "in the open court". She
cites a law under which Shylock, as a Jew and therefore an "alien",
having attempted to take the life of a citizen, has forfeited his property,
half to the government and half to Antonio,
leaving his life at the mercy of the Duke. The Duke pardons Shylock's life.
Antonio asks for his share "in use" until Shylock's death, when the
principal will be given to Lorenzo and Jessica. At Antonio's request, the Duke
grants remission of the state's half of forfeiture, but on the condition that
Shylock convert to Christianity and bequeath his entire estate to Lorenzo and
Jessica (IV,i).
Bassanio does not recognise his disguised
wife, but offers to give a present to the supposed lawyer. First she declines,
but after he insists, Portia requests his ring and Antonio's gloves. Antonio
parts with his gloves without a second thought, but Bassanio gives the ring
only after much persuasion from Antonio, as earlier in the play he promised his
wife never to lose, sell or give it. Nerissa, as the lawyer's clerk, succeeds
in likewise retrieving her ring from Gratiano, who does not see through her
disguise.
At Belmont, Portia and Nerissa taunt and
pretend to accuse their husbands before revealing they were really the lawyer
and his clerk in disguise (V). After all the other characters make amends,
Antonio learns from Portia that three of his ships were not stranded and have
returned safely after all.
BASSANIO
Character Analysis
Bassanio is Antonio's best pal and the lucky guy
who lands Portia, the richest and cutest girl in Belmont.
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. When we meet Bassanio, one of the first things out
of his mouth is:
Tis not unknown to you, Antonio,
How much I have disabled mine estate
By something showing a more swelling port
Than my faint means would grant continuance (1.1.129-132)
How much I have disabled mine estate
By something showing a more swelling port
Than my faint means would grant continuance (1.1.129-132)
Translation:
"Everyone knows I live way beyond my means and have blown all my
money." Not only that, but Bassanio's spending has buried him under a big
pile of debt and he's hoping to pay it all off. When he says "To you,
Antonio, / I owe the most in money and in love" (1.1.137-138), So how does
Bassanio plan to get out of debt? By borrowing even more
money so he can hook up with a rich heiress, Portia, who will pay off all
his loans and continue to float his rap-star lifestyle. He's even willing to
let his best friend risk his life by putting up a "pound of flesh" as
collateral so he can take out a personal loan from Shylock. What kind of a
person does that?
If you thought Bassanio
was bad for using Antonio, check out how he talks about Portia: "In
Belmont is a lady richly left, / And she is fair [...] Her name is Portia,
nothing undervalued [...] Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth"
(1.1.168-169, 172,174). Hmm. Notice how Bassanio uses words like
"value" and "worth" to describe his future wife? It's clear
that Bassanio sees Portia as a meal ticket.
We're not saying
Bassanio doesn't care about Portia. There does seem to be some real affection
between the two when they're hanging out in Belmont. What we are saying is
this: even after he gets hitched to Portia, Bassanio's loyalty to his new wife
is questionable and he seems to value his bromance with Antonio more than
anything else. Our evidence? Well, Bassanio admits that Antonio is his number
one priority when he rushes from Portia's house to Antonio's trial.
"Antonio," he says. "I am married to a wife / Which is as dear
to me as life itself, But life itself, my wife, and all the world / Are not
with me esteemed above thy life" (4.1.194-197).
Bassanio seems to float
through life, reaping the benefits of his rich friends. In the end, Bassanio
gets everything he ever wanted: he snags a rich wife who is devoted to his
happiness and his best friend is saved from Shylock's vengeful lawsuit.
Character Analysis Bassanio
Bassanio's character is more fully drawn than Antonio's, but it
does not possess the powerful individuality that Shakespeare gives to his
portraits of Portia and Shylock. First off, when one begins considering
Bassanio, one should dismiss all the critics who condemn him for his financial
habits. Bassanio's request to Antonio for more money is perfectly natural for
him. He is young; he is in love; and he is, by nature, impulsive and romantic.
Young men in love have often gone into debt; thus Bassanio has always borrowed
money and, furthermore, no moral stigma should be involved. Shakespeare needs
just such a character in this play for his plot.
If Bassanio is not a powerful hero, he is certainly a sympathetic
one. First, he has some of the most memorable verse in the play — language
which has music, richness, and dignity. Second, he shows us his immediate,
uncalculated generosity and love; this is especially obvious when Bassanio, who
has just won Portia, receives the letter telling him of Antonio's danger. Bassanio
is immediately and extremely concerned over the fate of Antonio and is anxious
to do whatever is possible for his friend. Here, the situation is melodramatic
and calls for a romantic, seemingly impossible, rescue mission.
When at last Bassanio and Portia are reunited, he speaks
forthrightly and truthfully to her. He refuses to implicate Antonio, even
though it was at Antonio's urging that he gave away his wedding ring to the
judge who cleverly saved Antonio's life: "If you did know," he tells
Portia, "for what I gave the ring / And how unwillingly I left the ring .
. . You would abate the strength of your displeasure." No matter how
powerful the circumstances, he admits that he was wrong to part with the ring
because he had given his oath to Portia to keep it. As the play ends,
Bassanio's impetuous nature is once more stage-center. Speaking to his wife, he
vows: "Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; . . . and by my soul I
swear / I never more will break an oath with thee." Of course, he will;
this, however, is part of Bassanio's charm. He means it with all his heart when
he swears to Portia, but when the next opportunity arises and he is called on
to rashly undertake some adventure full of dash and daring, he'll be off.
Portia knows this also and loves him deeply, despite this minor flaw.
Character Analysis Bassanio
Bassanio's character is more fully drawn than Antonio's, but it
does not possess the powerful individuality that Shakespeare gives to his
portraits of Portia and Shylock. First off, when one begins considering
Bassanio, one should dismiss all the critics who condemn him for his financial
habits. Bassanio's request to Antonio for more money is perfectly natural for
him. He is young; he is in love; and he is, by nature, impulsive and romantic.
Young men in love have often gone into debt; thus Bassanio has always borrowed
money and, furthermore, no moral stigma should be involved. Shakespeare needs
just such a character in this play for his plot.
If Bassanio is not a powerful hero, he is certainly a sympathetic
one. First, he has some of the most memorable verse in the play — language
which has music, richness, and dignity. Second, he shows us his immediate,
uncalculated generosity and love; this is especially obvious when Bassanio, who
has just won Portia, receives the letter telling him of Antonio's danger.
Bassanio is immediately and extremely concerned over the fate of Antonio and is
anxious to do whatever is possible for his friend. Here, the situation is
melodramatic and calls for a romantic, seemingly impossible, rescue mission.
When at last Bassanio and Portia are reunited, he speaks
forthrightly and truthfully to her. He refuses to implicate Antonio, even
though it was at Antonio's urging that he gave away his wedding ring to the
judge who cleverly saved Antonio's life: "If you did know," he tells
Portia, "for what I gave the ring / And how unwillingly I left the ring .
. . You would abate the strength of your displeasure." No matter how powerful
the circumstances, he admits that he was wrong to part with the ring because he
had given his oath to Portia to keep it. As the play ends, Bassanio's impetuous
nature is once more stage-center. Speaking to his wife, he vows: "Portia,
forgive me this enforced wrong; . . . and by my soul I swear / I never more
will break an oath with thee." Of course, he will; this, however, is part
of Bassanio's charm. He means it with all his heart when he swears to Portia,
but when the next opportunity arises and he is called on to rashly undertake
some adventure full of dash and daring, he'll be off. Portia knows this also
and loves him deeply, despite this minor flaw.
Description
Bassanio had survived a
shipwreck that pirates had attacked. Soon, another ship comes, and Antonio,
who was on that ship, rescues Bassanio. However, pirates soon lay siege on the
ship.
A battle ensures. Soon,
Bassanio rescues Antonio from a pirate who snuck up behind him. Since the two
had rescued and protected each other, they agree to become best friends.
Portia's Memory
Portia,
a beautiful, wealthy heiress, constantly dreams of a man who will be her
husband. That man is Bassanio, who apparently embarked for Belvast by fate. He gave her acompass as
a gift, and promised her to return.
According to Antonio,
Bassanio wanted to return to Portia as a wealthy man rather than a poor
commoner, however he was unable to. Until he received Portia's Love Letter, he tries to head back to
her, but requires 30 million gold in order to do so.
Price of Love
Antonio needs 30 million gold in order to help
the poor Bassanio. However, his trading ships are away, so Antonio must rely on Shylock,
his rival. Shylock agrees to give him a loan, but he must pay it back within
three months. He then requests Antonio to meet him within Alby Dungeon.
Antonio and Bassanio
meet Shylock within the depths of Alby Dungeon. Shylock explains the condition:
If Antoino fails to repay him at the specified date, he loses his heart.
Despite Bassanio's protests, Antonio agrees, stating he will have thrice the
amount of the loan long before the deadline. Bassanio attempts to draw his
sword with his shaky hand, but is unable to. He takes the check and leaves.
Gold and Silver
Upon receiving Reply, Portia is delighted to hear such news and
prepares for the proposal test. It requires a Horrifying Skeleton, a Clown Doll,
and a Portrait of
her.
She also explains that
she met Bassanio within Iria after he was washed away by a storm.
Leave It to Fate
Bassanio takes the
proposal test in order to marry Portia.
Going over to the Gold Box, he remarks "Is
our world so shallow, that a hint of gold can still fool so many? Even in
court, a vile and guilty criminal can hide behind a sweetly-worded plea, hiding
the true evil. And in the church, a terrible sin can be covered with blessings
and pagentry. Such beauty is purchased, not earned, and I will have none of
it." Approaching the
Silver Box, he states "And
I will have none of this, speaking of meager dealings between men." With the Lead Box, he exclaims "No...this simple box, that
threatens instead of promises... This moves me more than any gold or silver. I
choose this box, and pray for our happiness!" and opens it, finding Portia's Portrait. Having successfully passing
the test, he marries Portia.
During the wedding, Antonio did not show up; his appearance at the
wedding was merely a figment of Bassanio's imagination. He remembers that Shylock requested Antonio held within the Commonwealth of Belvast until their agreement has completed or
expired.
Keep Enemies Closer
Bassanio, alarmed after
hearing Antonio's
arrest, immediately rushes to Belvast Island along with Portia.
After successfully breaking him out, he refuses to leave, however, stating that
offering his heart is the right thing to do for Shylock.
As Portia tries to
clear a route, Bassanio tries to convince Antonio to leave. Shylock soon
appears with a Shire and states that the loan has been
repaid and urges Antonio to leave, with no explanation whatsoever. Antonio
heeds Shylocks words, mounts the Shire, and leaves with his friend.
While Portia is
outnumbered by the Belvast Guardsmen, the Shire mounted by Antonio
and Bassanio runs them over. They soon board a ship manned by Nicca and Ethna and leave Belvast Island, with Shylock
watching from the distance.
In the aftermath, the
trio decide to travel the world.
Bassanio is
an example of a type of young manhood to be found almost every day. Handsome,
clever, pleasure-loving, and pleasure-seeking, but still with many noble
traits, it is not until some sudden crisis occurs in his life that he discovers
his own littleness, or that his friends realize how much there is in him that
is truly manly and noble. His first act in the play is to borrow money not for
the first time from Antonio in order to purchase a suitable outfit in which to
woo a lady of great wealth whom he believes to be already prepossessed in his
favor. He confesses to a feeling of great admiration for the lady, which is, in
one of his temperament, probably his leading motive in seeking her, though he
declares to Antonio, to spare the feelings of the cousin who had done so much
for him, that his chief object is to gain money with which to pay his debts.
But shortly after his arrival at Belmont, his feelings undergo a sudden and unexpected revulsion. The utter truth and candor of the beautiful Portia, her implicit trust in his equally good faith, and her unreserved surrender of herself and all her fortune into his keeping, strip him of all his customary polite pleasantries, and leave him "bereft of all words"; but by the loss of the ornamental and self-admired flourishes, the manhood within him, already clearly discerned by the keener eyes of Antonio and Portia, is revealed to himself and to others more plainly than ever before. He recognizes at once how utterly despicable had been all mercenary motives, and rallies all his innate nobility to enable him to cope with the matchless creature who would, with a generous simplicity that was almost sublime, entrust him with her all-in-all.
With all his nobler energies thus suddenly aroused, the knowledge that Antonio's life is endangered through his fault, and the action incumbent upon him in consequence, are just the forces needed to continue and confirm the beneficial change already produced in his character. His conduct throughout the trial-scene testifies to the development going on within him, and gains the entire approval of the ever-watchful eyes of the youthful judge; so that in the fifth act, when complete harmony is at last restored, we feel that Bassanio, purified and elevated by her influence, though he may not be her equal, is yet worthy of his Portia.
But shortly after his arrival at Belmont, his feelings undergo a sudden and unexpected revulsion. The utter truth and candor of the beautiful Portia, her implicit trust in his equally good faith, and her unreserved surrender of herself and all her fortune into his keeping, strip him of all his customary polite pleasantries, and leave him "bereft of all words"; but by the loss of the ornamental and self-admired flourishes, the manhood within him, already clearly discerned by the keener eyes of Antonio and Portia, is revealed to himself and to others more plainly than ever before. He recognizes at once how utterly despicable had been all mercenary motives, and rallies all his innate nobility to enable him to cope with the matchless creature who would, with a generous simplicity that was almost sublime, entrust him with her all-in-all.
With all his nobler energies thus suddenly aroused, the knowledge that Antonio's life is endangered through his fault, and the action incumbent upon him in consequence, are just the forces needed to continue and confirm the beneficial change already produced in his character. His conduct throughout the trial-scene testifies to the development going on within him, and gains the entire approval of the ever-watchful eyes of the youthful judge; so that in the fifth act, when complete harmony is at last restored, we feel that Bassanio, purified and elevated by her influence, though he may not be her equal, is yet worthy of his Portia.
Throughout the play, Bassanio's main
focus has been his quest to
Belmont in bid to attempt and succeed in the casket challenge laid by
Portia's father. Primarily, Shakespeare presents Bassanio to the
audience as being motivated in his aim by the fact that Portia is a
lady "richly left". This is shown by the order in which he describes
the features of Portia that makes attracts him to her. "In Belmont is
a lady richly left, and she is fair, and fairer than that word".
However, Bassanio differs from Portia's other suitors, as Portia
actually displays interest for him. He also receives a good report
from the messenger at the end of Act 2 Scene 9 before he enters unlike
the other two suitors. "Madam, there is alighted at your gate a young
Venetian…I have not seen so likely an ambassador of love".
Nevertheless, in Venice, Bassanio is presented as being initially
focused upon Portia's money, but Shakespeare presents Bassanio
differently in Belmont. There is mutual anxiety between Portia and
Bassanio, even though they disagree when the casket challenge should
begin. When Portia critically questions Bassanio's methods, Bassanio
describes the true love that is shared between the two, and his words
dissolve Portia's worries. "O happy torment, when my torturer doth
teach me answers for deliverance but let me to my fortune and the
caskets". When Bassanio begins to justify the choice of his casket,
the audience is presented with a man who is deeply in love with
Portia. This presentation by Shakespeare encourages the audience to
view Bassanio's motives as sincere and genuine,
both are presented with differing aspects that can allow
interpretation to argue to statements. For example, even though
Shylock hates the Christians within Venice, he lives and works within
Venice, and also trades with Venetians as well as obeying Venetian
law, as shown by the trial. "The strict court of Venice must needs
give sentence 'gainst the merchant there". Conversely, Antonio's
unconditionally trust and love for Bassanio, shown by Antonio's plea
prior to his sentencing in the court scene. "Repent but you that you
shall lose your friend and he repents not that he pays your debt".
Both these aspects present differing aspects of the character, which
shows how Shakespeare constantly changes his, portray of his key
characters in order to allow varying interpretations and
understandings of the men.
Belmont in bid to attempt and succeed in the casket challenge laid by
Portia's father. Primarily, Shakespeare presents Bassanio to the
audience as being motivated in his aim by the fact that Portia is a
lady "richly left". This is shown by the order in which he describes
the features of Portia that makes attracts him to her. "In Belmont is
a lady richly left, and she is fair, and fairer than that word".
However, Bassanio differs from Portia's other suitors, as Portia
actually displays interest for him. He also receives a good report
from the messenger at the end of Act 2 Scene 9 before he enters unlike
the other two suitors. "Madam, there is alighted at your gate a young
Venetian…I have not seen so likely an ambassador of love".
Nevertheless, in Venice, Bassanio is presented as being initially
focused upon Portia's money, but Shakespeare presents Bassanio
differently in Belmont. There is mutual anxiety between Portia and
Bassanio, even though they disagree when the casket challenge should
begin. When Portia critically questions Bassanio's methods, Bassanio
describes the true love that is shared between the two, and his words
dissolve Portia's worries. "O happy torment, when my torturer doth
teach me answers for deliverance but let me to my fortune and the
caskets". When Bassanio begins to justify the choice of his casket,
the audience is presented with a man who is deeply in love with
Portia. This presentation by Shakespeare encourages the audience to
view Bassanio's motives as sincere and genuine,
both are presented with differing aspects that can allow
interpretation to argue to statements. For example, even though
Shylock hates the Christians within Venice, he lives and works within
Venice, and also trades with Venetians as well as obeying Venetian
law, as shown by the trial. "The strict court of Venice must needs
give sentence 'gainst the merchant there". Conversely, Antonio's
unconditionally trust and love for Bassanio, shown by Antonio's plea
prior to his sentencing in the court scene. "Repent but you that you
shall lose your friend and he repents not that he pays your debt".
Both these aspects present differing aspects of the character, which
shows how Shakespeare constantly changes his, portray of his key
characters in order to allow varying interpretations and
understandings of the men.
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