Morocco values money the most and materialistic things such as gold. This also shows that he has no moral values or religious values. His attitude is that money buys you happiness and bravery is an essential requirement to be a successful man in life. He is a character, which I thin is not given a fair chance and is doomed from the start. We can also feel that he is a noble character.
The Prince of Arragon
The second suitor is the Prince of Arragon whose entrance unlike Morocco’s is not anticipated by any comments from Portia. His arrogance and pride are shown through his choice of casket and his reaction to choosing the wrong casket. He comments on the inscription of gold casket,
‘…I will not jump with common spirits
And rank me with barbarous multitudes.’
Meaning that he does not want to be part of a lower class common but he wants to be exclusive. Thinking gold was too common for him he arrogantly rejects it. He does not even stop to weigh up the lead casket saying only that it would have to look more attractive for him to hazard anything for it. This shows him being a hypocrite due to trying not to judge by outward appearance but rejects lead for that reason of outward appearance. The silver casket is the one that appeals to him the most because he feels that no one deserving should go unmerited. His arrogance leads him to assume that he is worthy of Portia. Before he opens the casket he says, ‘I will assume dessert…’ meaning that he will get what he assumes he deserves. His reaction when he finds that he was unsuccessful also highlights his arrogance because he is so incredulous and cannot believe this is happening to him:
‘Did I deserve no more than a fool’s head?
Is that my prize? Are my desserts no better?’
In this he finds that he is not as great as he thought he was and realises that he was wrong in judgement. He is so deflated that one could feel sympathy for him. But he graciously accepts his fate and makes a dignified exit:
I’ll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wroth.’
He leaves by keeping to the oath he swore before choosing. His choice indicates that Arragon represents love controlled by intellect because from his point of view choosing the silver casket was the obvious and right choice. He was blind to his own pride. Looking at the scroll it tells him that he is a ‘fool’ meaning that he is unwise in his judgement. The thing is that he dismisses gold because he does not want to judge on outward appearance, unlike morocco, but dismisses lead because it is to dull for him to hazard.
Also he talk how people in high places that don’t deserve their title and how there are worthy people in unworthy places. The problem is that he does not apply this to himself.
Bassanio
Bassanio is the last of the three suitors and since he has appeared several times throughout the play before the audience know him quite well before he meets Portia. He is portrayed as neither proud nor arrogant but shows himself to be nervous around Portia indicating he may be inexperienced with women. This contrasts with the attitudes of the other two suitors, as they are full of self-importance. Their purpose amongst others is to make Bassanio appear honourable.
He is significant and by far the most important of the three suitors because Portia actually displays interest for him. He also receives a good report from the messenger at the end of Act II Scene 6 before he enters unlike the other two suitors. He receives better treatment than the other two suitors do. Portia plays music in the background perhaps to calm him and soothe him into the right frame of mind so that he may choose correctly. Also the wording could give Bassanio a hint on what to choose. She also tries to delay him in taking the test,
‘…for, in choosing wrong,
I lose your company:’
This shows that Portia actually likes Bassanio a lot and wishes to remain with him forever:
‘Let me choose;
For as I am, I live upon the rack’
This shows him willing to choose and he knows he is capable. Showing himself to be an impatient and tortured lover or perhaps anxious to lay claim to Portia’s fortune. His long speeches before choosing the casket are too intense. He does however make some good points and he centres on the saying, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. He talks about religion, cowardice and beauty. He says how one could explain away evil actions by citing biblical quotes, in effect hiding behind religion.
‘…In religion,
What damned error, but some sober brow
Will bless it and approve it with a text’
On cowardice he remarks that men could give signs outwardly that they were brave but on the inside they were cowards. He also mentions beauty and how the person who wore the most cosmetics was the least beautiful. He mentions that veils could hide things and fool even the wisest people and the example he gives is a beautiful scarf hides a dark face. This contrasts directly with the other two suitors because they are materialistic and judge by outward appearances. These wise words and also the fact that he has nothing to lose and everything to gain leads him to choose the lead casket.
‘…Thou meagre lead,
Which rather threat’nest than dost promise aught,
Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence’
He says that the lead more threatens then promises but moves him more than outward appearance. His reaction to choosing the right casket is simply ecstatic and he is rapt. His overenthusiastic praise and attempts to sound sincere fail and make him sound insincere. Bassanio does not talk about his own merits or credit unlike the other suitors who always mention it. The scroll mentions that he doesn’t choose by outward appearance and therefore wins Portia’s hand in marriage. His value, character and attitudes are worthy or Portia. He is not materialist unlike the others.
Shakespeare influences the audience’s attitudes towards the three men in the way that he presents them. The fact that Bassanio receives a good impression gives the audience a good impression of him. However, Arragon receives none and Morocco receives a racist remark before he enters and also after he has left. Who they are influences the audience too, the Prince of Arragon and Morocco are supposed to be viewed as comical characters. Also some may find the play on words with his name ‘Arragon’ and ‘Arrogant’ also amusing. The same is for Morocco who is taunted at for his skin colour. Bassanio however is portrayed more favourably, he is a Christian, a Venetian and not proud or arrogant.
The way Portia reacts to them is instrumental in influencing the audience’s opinions of them. When Portia picks on a fault of a suitor the audience pounces on it and when Portia is happy with a suitor (that is Bassanio) then the audience also begins to like him. Shakespeare has a lot of influence over the audience since it is he who decides how to present the characters and whether to make their personalities likeable or not thus plays with the thoughts of the audience.
Also the question is also asked if Bassanio is worthy or deserving to win Portia’s hand in marriage. He does not choose the casket by outward appearance and is not money-orientated or arrogant. Although when arriving in Belmont, he arrives with a false outward appearance, which makes him look wealthy but in fact he is in debt. This could be viewed that his intentions was to win the ‘fortune’ of Portia and not Portia herself. I think however that Bassanio deserved in winning Portia’s hand due to him being much more suited to being his wife and he is the only suitor, which has been to the liking of Portia.
