Lorenzo indicates some signs of repugnance towards Gratiano,
‘I must be one of these same dumb wise men, for Gratiano never let’s me speak’.
This does not imply that they are enemies but can indicate some signs of a problematic relationship. Lorenzo is hostile in his speech, ‘dumb, wise, men’ He uses two contrasting words to make Gratiano seem ‘dumb’ to the people around him.
After Gratiano and Lorenzo exit Bassanio comments on Gratiano, ‘speaks an infinite deal of nothing’, this depicts to the audience that Bassanio does not enjoy the company of Gratiano.
It is made apparent to the audience that Bassanio’s wealth status is not very high, ‘how much I have disabled mine estate’. This emphasises Antonio’s and Bassanio’s friendship in the view of the fact that dilemmas with money is not to be discussed in Venice seeing that it could lead to preface of gossip about one’s personal issues. In this scene it is also made apparent that Bassanio is in love,
‘In Belmont is a lady richly left,
And she is fair, fairer than a word,
Her name is Portia, nothing undervalued,
To Cato’s daughter, Brutus’ Portia’.
This is the only romantic speech given by Bassanio that obviously indicates he is in love with this woman. Also the use of repetition of her name into her full name emphasises his love for this woman, Portia. For Bassanio to be accepted by Portia he needs money but as Antonio explains he has none,
‘Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea,
Neither have I money, nor commodity, to raise a present sum’.
The audience has now become cognizant that neither Antonio nor Bassanio have a lot of money at the current time but Antonio’s fortunes are arriving.
Portia is a woman portrayed of being of great wealth and stature. She rejects proposals from many men by making an excuse for each one.
Bassanio who is in search for money has found a Jew named Shylock. At the abrupt introduction of Antonio to the conversation of Bassanio and Shylock, Shylock becomes antagonistic towards Antonio, ‘I hate him for he is a Christian’. This sentence is used strongly by Shylock and would be a horrific thing to say in the 16th century. This is an immediate indication that they are enemies. The audience will perceive that there are other issues of why Shylock hates Antonio in the view of the fact that Shylock was relaxed in his speech to Bassanio and he is also a Christian. Then Shylock reveals more of why he ‘hates’ Antonio,
‘He lends out money gratis and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice’.
This has clearly expressed why Shylock hates Antonio. Shakespeare has portrayed Shylock in a stereotypical fashion in the view of the 16th century. Shylock, the Jew, has been expressed to care for nothing but money. So because Antonio lends money ‘gratis’ it brings down the amount Shylock can charge when he lends money because people would much rather go and borrow money from Antonio then Shylock. So the basis of why Antonio is an enemy to Shylock is money. Shylock eventually agrees to lend the money to Antonio but under certain circumstances if Antonio fails to pay,
‘Be nominated for an equal amount of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken, in what part of your body pleaseth me’.
This is an extremely abhorrent bond to agree to and depicts Shylock’s hatred towards Antonio. Antonio does not perceive this in the view of the fact that he appears to be extremely confident that all will be well, refusing to consider any negative alternatives, for example, that the boats may sink.
The drama unfolds when the boats do, in fact, sink and Shylock demands his pound of flesh. Shylock has emerged as a character for which the audience have conflicting feelings. On the other hand, the audience feels sympathy for Shylock when he complains about Antonio’s treatment of him. At a certain level, we can understand his enmity and sympathise with him in his humiliation. We deplore Antonio’s treatment of Shylock, as a human being and our feelings are emphasised by Shylock’s speech,
‘If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
If you poison us, shall we not die?
And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?’
In this speech, the audience understand Shylock’s anger with Antonio and understand why they are enemies. However the audience is divided on the issue of enmity because we also saw when Shylock explained he hated Antonio because of his predicament with business and money. This is a repugnant reason for the audience and on which everyone will find repellent. The bases of Shylock’s relationships with people appear to be on money and greed. This is echoed by the discovery of the disappearance of his daughter, Jessica and his money. His response to this is extremely abhorrent as he cries out, ‘Oh my ducats!’ This indicates he has no care for his daughter but only his money.
Tubal plays a great part of gossip and rumour, as he is the person who informed Shylock of his daughter and Antonio’s ships. In this scene Shylock’s enmity is emphasised as he receives the news of Antonio’s ships, he appears elated, ‘I thank God! I thank God! Is it true? Is it true?’ His use of repetition emphasises that he is extremely exultant.
Bassanio receives a letter from Antonio about his ill fortune, their friendship is indicated by Bassanio to Portia, ‘The dearest friend to me, the kindest man’. Portia’s love is also portrayed as she let’s Bassanio aide his friend first and marry her later. This also explains how much she trusts Bassanio. The letter also emphasises Antonio’s friendship,
‘All debts are cleared between you and I if I might see you at my death’.
This will make the audience sympathetic towards Antonio and dislike Shylock and also shows how important Bassanio’s friendship is to Antonio.
At the trial Shylock shows no mercy to Antonio and refuses to let him speak, ‘I’ll have my bond, I will not hear thee speak’. This indicates that under no circumstance will Shylock alter his bond. Bassanio portrays his friendship by offering him in place of Antonio but Antonio refuses although the audience will know Shylock would not have agreed anyway. Portia’s love is portrayed as she dresses up and enters the trial, she eventually saves his life and Shylock is defeated.
In this play the themes, friends, enemies, lovers, gossip, rumour and money are all presented in the form of characters. Shylock, the enemy, has the audience’s sympathy but is turned away by the hatred of Antonio and his ruthless pursuit of profit, but his eloquent description of Antonio’s abusive language and behaviour redresses the balance a little in his favour. His daughter’s elopement with a Christian and the theft of his money give the audience a pause to think of their attitude towards him. However, the comic way in which he is presented as reacting to this event and his cry for his ‘ducats’ evoke laughter, not sympathy. Friendship is one of the more significant themes and is extensively depicted by the use of Antonio and Bassanio. When Antonio enters the bond he does not give security to his friend but spends it on liveries for his servants and a party, which is not an auspicious start. Lover’s is certainly not a constant theme in the play but eventually aides to save Antonio’s life. Gossip and rumour do produce extra predicaments and does play a play main part in Venice. Lastly money, money is the most important theme and is the reason why Antonio had to face this dilemma but eventually is victorious and Shylock defeated due to the aide of his friends and their lovers.
