Different Interpretations of the Relationship between Antonio and Bassanio - Essay Example

Different Interpretations of the Relationship between Antonio and Bassanio in the Merchant of Venice The ‘Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare has been a subject of intensive analysis and diverse interpretations. The focus of the play revolves around love and revenge. It is quite clear that the characters in the play demonstrate different emotions and relationships towards each other. The original script by Shakespeare presents a point of view that the adapters of the play such as Trevor Nunn’s film have interpreted to complete the puzzle. Bassanio, Shylock and Antonio are at the centre of the controversy involving a money-lending deal. This aspect points out to the relationship that prevails between these individuals. While Shylock is the antagonizing character, Bassanio and Antonia demonstrate a kind of relationship that has attracted different interpretations from scholars and filmmakers. The closeness and the kind of love that Antonio and Bassanio demonstrate towards each other have raised the curiosity of interpreters. These interpretations have led to critic of the play while the interpreters have also been criticized for not abiding with the author’s view. Whichever way, throughout the play the relationship between Antonia and Bassanio is one that can be described as selfless, intimate and brotherly. From one act to another, scene-to-scene Bassanio is seen to be concerned about the welfare of Antonio and vice versa. Their sincerity and the heights that they get to, demonstrate that they are not mere friends but people with a better view of each other. Throughout the interpretations, Bassanio and Antonio have a unique love that Shakespeare does not explain in details but leaves it to the reader to complete the puzzle. Antonio and Bassanio provide very good company to each other. From the way they are expressed by Shakespeare, it appears that they are very tight friends. When Bassanio gets to the company of Antonio, Gratiano and Lorenzo, the two opt to leave. Salanio refers to Bassanio as a better company to Antonio while Salarino refers to him as a ‘worthier company’. This demonstrates the uniqueness of the type of relationship that exists between the two. While Antonio is sad and under stress that, all his fortunes are tossed in the ocean, Bassanio presents him with need for additional amount. It is worth noting that Bassanio was highly indebted to Antonio. In demonstration of how tight they are in their relationship, Antonio goes ahead to act as a guarantor for the money that Bassanio borrows from Shylock, a moneylender. In borrowing the money, there appears to be rift between Antonio and Shylock hence he request a pound of flesh as the bond in case Antonio fails to pay the money. It is highly unlikely that someone will promise a pound of flesh for someone who is not very special to him or her. When Salerio is sent with a letter fro Venice to Bassanio, the first statement that he utters even before opening the letter says a lot of what exists between him and Antonio, he says, “I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth”. The news that Antonio’s fortunes were ship wrecked brought sorrow to Bassanio who opted to get back to Venice leaving alone the treasure that he had gone to seek in Belmont, the fair Portia. Bassanio describes Antonio to Portia as “The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, the best-condition’d and unwearied spirit in doing courtesies, and one in whom the ancient Roman honour more appears than any that draws breath in Italy”. Upon his return, he makes every attempt to rescue his friend Antonio from the ruthless Shylock by getting to the heights of doubling the amount lent, but Shylock was unforgiving. It is highly unlikely that there is existence of a gay relationship between Antonio and Bassanio as per the view presented by Shakespeare. When Antonio agrees to be the guarantor of Bassanio’s debt, he is very genuine and very optimistic that his ships will dock at the port and he would be capable of repaying the amount. He says, “Within these two months-that’s a month before this bond expires-I do expect return of thrice three times the value of this bond”. These aspects show an intimate relationship is inexistence between the two individuals. The question of the type of relationship is left to be induced by the reader. Antonio is in a romantic relationship with Antonio. It is highly unlikely that the interpretation that some gay relationship existed between Antonio and Bassanio, this is because it becomes questionable how a lover would facilitate their lover to have a competitor. However, it is also possible that Antonio has romantic feelings towards Bassanio without his knowledge. Nevertheless, Bassiano is appreciative of the love that exists between him and Antonio. In Belmont, he attempts to postpone his marriage to Portia for the sake of getting to Venice to see into how Antonio was fairing. He severally persuaded Shylock with a much higher amount than the one lent but he was adamant. In addition, Bassanio went to the heights of convincing the Duke to distort the course of justice to be in favour of Antonio. These aspects do not point to romance between them as depicted by the play. There is a close relationship between Antonio and Bassanio can be described as a blood relationship. From the beginning of the play, we find that despite Antonia being sad is pleased to have Bassanio come along. It is apparent that the relationship between them is not an ordinary one. Their allies recognize this too, Salanio addressing Antonio says, “Here comes Bassanio, your most noble Kinsman”. This shows that for Bassanio to be Antonio’s kings man there must have been a relationship that is related to either blood or some other influential means. However, throughout the text and in the film it is not substantiated whether such a relationship existed between the two characters. The fact that Antonio entrusts his fortune to Antonio means that he is a person that he may have interacted with for a ling period hence developing trust with. Such a person is highly likely to be a relative. Antonio helps Bassanio in securing the hand in marriage of the fair Portia. The chances of a stranger helping someone in paying for the logistics of securing a woman in marriage are minimal, leaving the thinking that the two men may be from a common descent. The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio is centred on economical issues, however, it goes beyond being this. When Bassanio presents himself in the play, he brings forth his pleas that are based on the need to get some money that will facilitate his going to Belmont. Immediately, the financial situation and the debt situation appear. Before the dust settles, we are introduced to the issues surrounding Antonio’s treasures, then the need to borrow money courtesy of Shylock. In view of this picture and the flow of events, Shakespeare seems to be presenting a case that the relationship between Bassanio and Antonio is basically founded on economic deals that have made them to remain together and become better friends. However, in the film adaptation by Nunn, a different perspective is viewed. In addition, the personal life of Antonio is highly concealed by the author and what we are able to see is the public life. Bassanio on the other hand, utilizes the opportunities he gets from Antonio to make his private life, these sharp contrasts shows that the relationship is basically based on strong economic ties between Antonio and Bassanio. When Bassanio returns to defend his friend, he is very money minded in the interventions he makes, he comes with the proposal of having to pay highly for the breached payment. His concern towards Antonio is a genuine one but there is a possibility that their relationship may have been founded on economic grounds. When Bassanio was convincing Antonio to lend the money, he presented the analogy of shooting another arrow in the same direction, hence being capable of finding both arrows. This means he would be making a potential financially beneficial engagement. Getting a hand in marriage to Portia was a very important economic factor in the live of Bassanio. He points twice to Portia while choosing the casket that his wealth is the blood that flows in his veins. All these factors boils down to one conclusion, that Bassanio is a materialistic individual that makes lasting friendships based on his economic needs. The depression that Antonio opens the story with might have not been based on his treasures as his companions, Salerio and Salerino suggest. Trevor Nunn’s film has demonstrated some happenings about the two friends that suggest that there might have been an underlying relationship issue that made Antonio to be stressed up. In his opening remarks, Antonio is not very sure of what is making him unhappy, he leaves it to his friends to make suggestions. In Nunn’s film shows Antonia on the keyboard, sad and feeling unwell, however, a turn of vent occurs when Bassanio comes on stage. Leaving Antonio with Bassanio shows a change of emotion by Antonio, he seems to be enjoying the company. He is seen smiling to Bassanio and also touches his hair on the head repeatedly until Bassanio expresses his need for money. When Bassanio mentions the issue of wooing Portia, the emotion of Antonio changes again and seems to be somehow depressed according to the film. This presents Antonia as a homosexual. To complement this stand, Antonio is left as a lonely man at the end of the film while the rest of his friends are coupled. This could have been as a result of the collapsed scheme to have Bassanio as his preferred gay partner. Having advanced in treasurers and possibly in age compared to Bassanio, Antonio is expected to have found a suitable suitor but he seems to have been pursuing Bassanio. This strengthens the point of view of homosexuality as presented by the actors in the film. Another adaptation of the film by Michael Radford reveals the same position as that presented by Nunn. Antonio is seen peeping through the window where he sees Bassanio. His focus is deeply in the man that he loves and is seen giving a smile. In addition, Bassanio comes forth to kiss Antonio, a demonstration that may direct to a gay relationship between the two characters. The body language from the actors demonstrates a new dimension of view that shows that Antonio has an intimate feeling over Bassanio. This may be a pointer that Antonio is a gay. Radford shares some characteristics with Shakespeare in his adoption. While Shakespeare leaves us to conclude of the type of relationship based on the words used, the choice of words and body language in Radford’s film shows that the relationship is beyond a normal friendship between two gentlemen. Some of the episodes in the play have been interpreted to demonstrate a unique male relationship between the two individuals. This has attracted the view that there is likelihood of a homosexual relationship existing between Antonio and Bassanio, however, it is easy to dispel the interpretation and bring forth the relationship as a normal one between two close men. Antonio welcomes the first attempt by Bassanio to get additional funding from him despite the inability to pay the previous debts. To complement the relationship, Bassanio expresses how he is able to set everything that he has for the sake of Antonio’s life. He says, “But life itself, my wife, and all the world are not with me esteemed above thy life; I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all here to this devil, to deliver you”. His emotion towards a person of the same sex is expressed through these statements. Bassanio’s further interventions are the ones that bear results for the friend who stood with him all along. His wife Portia formed part of the solution that was eagerly awaited for; Antonio had become hopeless and was ready to lose his life. On the other hand, Bassanio never relented in trying to make an intervention for Antonio until the ultimate solution was found through him. Male camaraderie is an aspect that has been shown to be at the centre of the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. These two gentlemen are very influential to each other’s life. The perception that they are likely to have a homosexual relationship is based on the tight bond that they develop. The sacrifices made and the effort developed for each other is insurmountable. The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio is based on diverse aspects such as social orientation and the time that they have been together, that is why Salario referred him as ‘better company’ for Antonio. It is purported that the feelings of Antonio towards Bassanio are too high that he gets to accept to be his guarantor even if it means losing part of his treasured body. When Antonio mentions that everyone has a role to play with his being a sad one could be a reference to the fact that his not having Bassanio by his side. In addition, upon the arrival of Bassanio, the other friends to Antonio excuse themselves immediately, meaning that they may have an idea that there is a tight bond between Antonio and Bassanio and their role could have been that of a spectator. It is therefore acceptable to conclude that Antonio was highly attracted to Bassanio. In conclusion, the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio is an intimate one. It is a unique type of love among men that is rarely found. This is the reason why some interpreters have suggested that there is likelihood that Antonio was gay or had sexual feelings towards Bassanio. Likewise, Bassanio was committed to his friend but it appears that his friendship is founded through the benefits that he derived from Antonio. He is also likely to be a relative to Antonio; he is referred as Antonio’s kinsman. Works Cited Auden, W. H. "Brothers and Others." The Dyer's Hand. New York: Random House, 1962. 218-237. According to Auden, there are patterns of friendships that appear among people that are classified in different ways. He gives a focus on the friendship between men. He describes various components that are required for a successful relationship giving a brief example of the Antonio-Bassanio case. In this case, the dual relationship between two men is interpreted by Auden as a special type of relationship that goes beyond what is expected of a relationship between men. However, he does not point clearly that the relationship may be a homosexual one. Auden is a renown writer and critic who has depicted excellence in his works. He has penned a number of books and essays including, The Dyer’s Hand and other Essays among others. Bowers, Imani. Renaissance Men and Male friendship. 2008. 16 Dec. 2013. http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/venice/papers/ibowers.htm The piece of work provides the reasons behind male friendships. His divergent views and psychological perspective helps relate with the reality of what induces men to be in intimate relationships with their fellow men. Bowers makes us to understand the reasoning behind relationship between Antonio and Bassanio from a global perspective. Quoting from different sources, Bowers helps his readers understand the possibilities that that accompanies male relationship. it is not exact that the relationship is gay just because the individuals are intimate. There are other possibilities that help the reader have a deeper understanding of the underlying factors. Bowers is a lecturer with Cedar Crest College. Cregan, Mary. The Merchant of Venice, Official Teacher’s Guide. 2005. 16 Dec. 2013. http://www.sonyclassics.com/merchantofvenice/SONY-VEMI-04/TeachersGuide.pdf This guide breaks the text in the play ‘Merchant of Venice’ by Shakespeare into a language and text that is easy to comprehend. Cregan presents mainly Shakespeare’s point of view concerning the relationship beteen Antonio and Bassanio. Despite some of the conclusions made by other interpreters, this one has not considered the view that Antonio is gay. The book is an aid that is meant to help teachers understand the book while teaching. It has a comprehensive synopsis that makes one understand the context without much hassle. Cregan is a Ph. D holder and is a lecturer at Bernard College. It presents diverse views from different sources as well as the author’s point of view. Nunn, Trevor and Hunt, Chris. Merchant of Venice. (adaptation). 8 Oct, 2001. According to Trevor’s movie adaptation, it is apparent that there is a gay relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. The way Antonio perceives Bassanio on the stage says it all. It demonstrates that he has feelings towards Bassanio and could be up to a relationship despite having not materialized. The film was released in 2001 and has attracted criticism as well as complements from movie lovers. It has helped greatly break the text in a language that is clearly understood by individuals that find it difficult to get through the entire text. Nunn is a highly esteemed producer and his thoughts highly coincides with the text. Patterson, Steve. "The Bankruptcy of Homoerotic Amity in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice."Shakespeare Quarterly 50.1 (1999): 16 Dec. 2013. A descriptive article that shows what the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio was like. He points out specifically to the issue of homoerotic relationship between the two characters demonstrated and how they get to engage other individuals in the play in advancing the theme of love and friendship. The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio forms the core of the relationships that appears in the play. This shows how significant their interaction is. From the argument presented by the author, it is apparent the relationship was a distinct one. This article appeared in the ‘Quarterly’ in 1999 under the authorship of Steve Petterson. Pittman, Monique. L. Locating the Bard: Adaptation and Authority in Michael Radford’s Merchant of Venice. 2007. 16 Dec. 2013http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/shb/summary/v025/25.2pittman.htmlPittman provides an analysis of Bradford’s adaptation by demonstrating the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio as a special one. She shows that the man-to-man relationship between the two characters is one that is suspicious and seems that the presentation by Bradford that Antonio might have been gay is not farther from the truth.. Monique is a professor of English at Andrews University. This article features on the Theater and Performance Studies on Volume 25, number 2 in Summer of 2007, it features on page 13-33. She refers to the original text as well as other texts. In addition, he refers to the previous adaptation and compares with that of Radford. Radford, Michael. Merchant of Venice. (adaptation). Youtube. 16 Dec. 2013. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GEmh3tb1lg Antonio is seen having a romantic relationship with Bassanio. Radford is the director that has presented the two hour and 8 minutes comic film. Radford is also known for his international hit II Postino. It was realized in the theaters on December 29, 2004. The film has been retailing at $ 9.99. Bassanio’s lavish spending characterizes the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. Radford depicts Bassanio and Antonio as close allies who share common interests but he depicts Antonio as a homosexual because of the body language she demonstrates such as touching his hair. The film shows Antonio having some feelings towards Bassanio, that the viewrs are easily prompted to think it is a sexual one. Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. nd . 16 Dec. 2013. http://athanorakademie.de/dateien/Shakespeare-MerchantofVenice.pdf The play provides spectacular information about the entire book with clear understanding an informed sense of direction. It has been arranged clearly according to scenes and acts that aid in the dissemination of the information. This piece of work is actually the exact text that presents Shakespeare’s narration as he put it several years ago. This text is featured in the Anthor Akademie Theater. The expressions used by Shakespeare in this text shows very close relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. This relationship forms the core of all the other relationships in the play including the one between Antonio and shylock as well as that with Portia. Read More