Antonio and Shylock

In the opening scene of the play, the merchant Antonio is depressed but cannot figure out why. Salerio believes he is saddened because his "mind is tossing on the ocean,/ There where your argosies with portly sail..." (1.1.8-9) and Solanio believes it is because he is in love (1.1.46). Although Antonio never states why he is upset, I can't help but believe that he really has no reason to be upset. He is surrounded by friends that are trying to help him feel better, yet he does not seem to realize that. If anything in the first act of the play expressed a reason for Antonio to be upset it would be Shylock.
        The two men clearly do not get along with each other, let alone respect each other. The terms of the bet also speak volumes about the mens' characters. Shylock states "If you repay me not on such a day,/ In such a place, such sum or sums as are,/ Expressed in the condition let the forfeit/ be nominated for an equal pound/ of your fair flesh to be cut off and taken/ in what part of your body pleaseth me..." (1.3.142-147). The fact that Shylock would love to cut a pound of flesh off of Antonio if he is not re-payed shows just how strongly he dislikes Antonio. A pound of flesh is not valuable in any way, nor will he gain any benefit from it. This shows just how much hatred Shylock has for Antonio.
      Antonio also expresses a lot about himself through this agreement with Shylock. The fact that he is signing the bond alone ("Your single bond..." 1.3. 141) shows that he feels he needs no help to repay Shylock, even though the one benefiting from this agreement isn't himself, it is Bassanio. He also shows that he may be a little too overconfident by agreeing that he will let Shylock cut off a pound of flesh from what ever part of his body that Shylock wants to.Antonio is clearly so determined to pay Shylock back that is almost seems like it is a competition between the two. Even Bassanio, who is the person benefiting from this agreement, tells Antonio "You shall not seal to such a bond for me./ I'll rather dwell in my necessity" (1.3.150-151). Bassanio and Antonio close the scene by saying "Bassanio: I like not fair terms and a villain's mind./ Antonio: Come on. In this there can be no dismay./ My ships come home a month before the day." (1.3. 175-177). I can't help but feel like something bad will happen and Antonio will fail to repay Shylock. The fact that Antonio's last lines in act 1 are assuring Bassanio that he will re-pay Shylock forces me to think that Shakespeare is trying to foreshadow that something bad will happen. I haven't read the rest of the play, so I could be completely wrong in this feeling, but it just seems like it is too confident of Antonio to agree to this. It just seems like such a ridiculous agreement for anyone to make. The terms of the bond show many things about their characters.