The Merchants of Venice
How does Shakespeare’s writing causes you to both admire and despise Antonio?
Antonio, one of the prime characters in Shakespeare’s drama The
Merchants of Venice is a complex character. Shakespeare portrays him to
be generous and a wise successful businessman on the other hand, he
also portrays him to be Anti-Semetic. This causes the reader to both admire and
despise Antonio.
Shakespeare’s writing presents Antonio to be admirable through his
actions of him being generous. When speaking to Bassanio he was willing
to assist him with money in order to help him to pursue his courtship of
the fair lady of Belmont, despite Bassanio’s past “something too
prodigal”, he looks past those circumstances and helps out a friend,
promising to try to obtain the necessary money for Bassanio. Antonio
says “Therefore go forth, try what my credit can in Venice do; and so I
will where money is, and I no question make to have it of my trust or for
my sake.”
Another way Shakespeare presents Antonio to be admirable is
through his actions of him being a wise successful businessman. In the
city of Venice, Antonio makes his living off of trade. Antonio says that,
“My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, nor to a place; nor is my
whole estate upon the fortune of this present year,” he has invested his
money not only in one ship but in other ships therefore if one crashes he
would have the other to make a living.
Shakespeare’s writing also despises Antonio and presents him to be
Anti-semetic on several occasions. When Antonio and Bassanio goes to
Shylock to ask for money, Shylock recalls the time when Antonio refers
to him as a “cut-throat dog” and spat on him. Antonio uses a metaphor...