Antonio

While reading Act I of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Antonio’s character stood out to me the most. In all its simplicity, the opening line of the play: "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad" (1.1, 1) set the focus for the entire first scene. In scene i, we see more characters than in scene ii and iii combined, yet we focus on the feelings/inner workings of only one person’s mind –Antonio. Antonio is inexplicably saddened. In exploration of his sadness, a friend Salanio proposes: "Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time:/ Some that will evermore peep through their eyes/ And laugh like parrots at a bagpiper/ And other of such vinegar aspect" (1.1, 51-54). Salanio states that this just may be Antonio’s natural disposition. Before this, Solanio suggested Antonio may be in love, but Antonio brushed it off in an oddly brief way. When most people are faced with the idea of love, their reactions are definitively “no” or they'll pause to take a moment or two to reflect. This seems like a topic Antonio prefers not to deal with. Another friend, Graziano, suggests, "You have too much respect upon the world./ They lose it that do buy it with much care" (1.1, 74-75). Antonio may be overly-concerned with his business ventures, and if he worries too much, he will cause his own bad fortune --in this case, his depressing mood. Antonio denies this, claiming he is confident in his business ventures.

Finally, Antonio declares that the world is "a stage where every man must play a part,/ And mine a sad one" (1.3, 78-79). He feels he cannot change his sadness because he simply plays a sad character in the grand scheme of things. This can be a dangerous view because it leads to learned helplessness. Graziano touches on this concept when he alludes to men who enjoy dwelling on their burdens; these men utilize their pessimism to convince others of their wisdom and experience, which is detrimental to the human experience. This part of the text reminds me of a quote by Stephen Colbert: “Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us.” Having read this quote helped me understand Graziano’s point, regardless of whether or not Antonio was responsive to it.

After his friends leave, Bassanio asks Antonio for a favor. Bassanio is in love with Portia, and the only way he can compete for this heiress is if he takes out loans. He asks Antonio to be his guarantor since he has such bad credit. This is the first time we see Antonio perk up and speak definitively about anything. Antonio scolds Bassanio for even remotely questioning his loyalty as a friend and declares: "My purse, my person, my extremist means/ Lie all unlocked to your occasions" (1.1, 137-138). This is a surrender of Antonio’s entire being to his friend’s pursuits. Throughout Act I, Antonio is particularly attentive to Bassanio. He finds the motivation and passion for Bassiano, yet not for himself. Critics suggest that Antonio may be in love with Bassanio, and if this is the case, such a hopeless love could partially explain Antonio’s sadness. With this in mind, Antonio’s depressing comment about the world as a stage and people as fixed characters could be in reference to the roles of husbands and wives in society. The institution of marriage was unmovable at the time and was heavily intertwined with Christianity, which plays a huge role in Antonio’s life.

The only other time Antonio expresses strong feeling is when he encounters Shylock. He is unexpectedly cruel towards him because he is a Jew. Antonio, earlier depicted as a thoughtful, loyal friend is now irrational and off-putting. When Shylock claims Antonio is only being kind because he needs money, he alludes to all the nasty things that Antonio has done and said. Antonio simply replies, “I am as like to call thee so again,/ To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too” (1.3, 125-126). Antonio steps up and passionately defends his distasteful actions. He continues with, “lend it rather to thine enemy,/ Who if he break, thou mayst with better face/ Exact the penalty” (1.3, 130-132). Antonio heightens their dissonance and derives pleasure (for once) in doing so. Antonio’s religious intolerance is a sign of close-mindedness. From a psychological perspective, this is often associated with depression. In addition to a hopeless love, his intolerance of others could explain his sadness.