Antonio and Portia comparison - Scene 1 and 2

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Antonio is a wealthy, well known merchant in Venice. Antonio is not a member of aristocracy but his wealth is influential and has put him high in the social order of Venice. Portia is a heiress, who is clever as well as beautiful; she lives in the peace and harmony of Belmont as oppose to the busier more business orientated Venice.

In Act 1 Scene 1, Antonio discusses his feeling about his merchandise at sea with Salarino, Salanio and later Gratiano and Bassanio; the idea of a disaster at sea, leaving Antonio with nothing foreshadows events to come.  Antonio and Bassanio also discuss Portia, Bassanio realises that she has attracted the interest of many wealthy men and will need to act quickly to avoid loosing her. As Portia is rich, Bassanio feels that he cannot arrive at Belmont without money and asks Antonio to lend him some. Bassanio argues that if Antonio were prepared to lend him more money he could use it to repay all of his debt; Bassanio illustrates this with the idea he had as a schoolboy, he would shoot an arrow in the same direction as the one that he had lost to find both.  Antonio then explains that although all his “fortunes are at sea” and he had no money or commodities,  Bassanio  can still go to Venice to try and get “credit” in his name. This generosity shows that Antonio is not only a merchant, but also a patron. Bassanio is a close friend of Antonio who has not only “disabled” his own estate, but has also previously borrowed money from Antonio that he is unable to repay.  It is the foolishness of Bassanio and the generosity of Antonio that leads to Antonio’s entrapment.

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Antonio is not the only person that likes Bassanio, Portia also expresses her interest in Bassanio in Act 1 Scene 2. Nerissa reminds Portia of a young Venetian soldier who had visited Belmont in her fathers time. Portia immediately remembers that this is Bassanio and tries to play

down her interest in him. This discussion is interrupted by the arrival of the Prince of Morroco but it is long enough to show that Portia has feeling for Bassanio.

        

Act 1 Scene 2 takes place in Belmont, Portia is seen to be distressed by not being able ...

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