The news of Antonio’s predicament arrives just at the time Bassanio is preparing for marriage, a ceremony which will eclipse any homosexual relationships. The timing is suggestive of Antonio’s repressed desire for his friend. Solanio also comments that Antonio ‘only loves the world for him’ (II.viii.50). It seems from the text that Bassanio is free of any homosexual desire. This unequal love is implied by the fact that Antonio is willing to give up his life for his friend and yet Bassanio is willing to see him die for the financial bond. There is something exploitative in him allowing Antonio to guarantee the contract with his life.
Lisa Jardine indicates that ‘eroticism, in the early modern period, is not gender specific, is not grounded in the sex of the possibly “submissive” partner, but is an expectation of that very submissiveness’. Although I do not agree that there is no importance of gender between expectant and submissive partners, it is easy to see Bassanio as a submissive character. He has childlike ideals of money and he seems somewhat controlled, even by Portia. It is, however, biased to import sexuality onto characters when there is little textual evidence to support the claim. When we look at a relationship such as that of Antonio and Sebastian in Twelfth Night where the insinuation of homosexual desire is far more evident from the text alone it suggests that people often look for themes in a text which are only tenuously suggested and build an argument around them.
Some critics have suggested homosexual feelings between Iago and Othello, Hamlet and Horatio and other such characters, based on the fact that they remain ladyless at the end of the play. There is no mention of the physical aspect of same-sex love in any of these cases and the emphasis is therefore on the platonic condition of love. I feel that it is dangerous to make assertions to suit our own point of view when there is no explicit evidence within the play itself. Although the physical elements of love are not discussed by Antonio in The Merchant of Venice his actions make clear his feelings for Bassanio. From the outset he assures him that ‘my purse, my person, my extremest means / Lie unlock’d to your occasions.’ (I.i.138-39). W.F. Eggers suggests that this is where the ‘conventional ideals of friendship are set down’, but to me this statement is stronger than one of conventional friendship; it suggests that Antonio would give anything for Bassanio, holding his needs above his own, and even above his life.
One of the main themes of the play is trade and usury. This can be seen in the interaction of the male characters. The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio reflects the economy of the play. Bassanio exploits Antonio (and, to a certain extent, Portia) by constantly borrowing money. When Antonio is about to die for his debts the play reaches a point where ‘money has ceased to be simply a medium of exchange and has become a means of social power.’ It seems that their friendship has been corrupted by the emphasis of monetary exchange. Antonio has some control over Bassanio while he owes him money, but it is Portia who eventually pays off the men’s debts and therefore it is she who holds the power at the end.
Venice is the background for all the trade in the play and as such is a very male dominated area. It is here that Bassanio tells Antonio that his friendship means more than anything, including Portia. Belmont is set in opposition to Venice, with the feminine power of Portia and Nerissa. Belmont uses the language of love and desire, whereas Venice uses the language of trade. It is no surprise, therefore, that we only see Shylock in Venice. He certainly does not fit in with the romantic imagery of Belmont. He is the biggest threat to happiness in the play. We can see this in his pound of flesh speech. To Shylock money is the only important thing as a merchant. This perhaps sheds light on the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. Antonio obviously sees the economical factors in his relationship with Bassanio and, as a merchant, may be trying to buy into Bassanio’s affections with his constant money lending. L.W. Hyman makes an interesting point about the monetary bond between the men. She states that ‘the bond legally and literally binds Antonio to Shylock but on a deeper level it binds Antonio to Bassanio’. It is therefore worth noting that it is Portia who rescues Antonio. In doing so she prevents the spectacle of Antonio dying for his homoerotic desire, and secures her position as unrivalled wife.
Antonio accepts his friend’s marriage to Portia as he acts as guarantor to the marriage vows. The difference in the relationship is obvious on their return to Belmont. The talk turns to that of the wedding and the ring trick and is no longer about money, although Antonio does make reference to the point in staking his life on Bassanio’s fidelity;
Ant. I dare be bound again,
My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Will never more break faith advisedly. (V.i.251-53).
This shows his incompatibility with the ways of Belmont and suggests the reason why he is not part of the ‘happy ending’. Antonio belongs in the money hungry, merchant world of Venice, as his title suggests, and his changing relationship with Bassanio makes this point clearer.
Although the male relationships within the play are the most crucial it is obvious that Portia is a very strong character. She understands the submissive role of a woman in Elizabethan society and gains her strength from dressing as a man to intervene in the court scene. It is Portia who decides the outcome of all the characters through the power of disguise. She is used to having some power in Belmont and knows how to manipulate the men in Venice. The ring trick ensures that she wins Bassanio from Antonio, despite the fact that initially Antonio removes Bassanio of his physical pledge of love to Portia by convincing him to hand over the ring. Although she has to assume a male guise in order to gain the power, it is only because she is aware of the social confines of her sex within a patriarchal society. It is clear that Shakespeare challenged the boundaries of gender with his powerful female characters.
There is little opportunity to compare the male relationships with male-female relationships in The Merchant of Venice. This is partly due to the fact that most of the action takes place in the male dominated realm of Venice, but also due to the cross dressing of Portia and Nerissa for their most important roles in the play. Antonio comes across (and has often been staged) as a father figure to the other characters as he is always serious when the other men are quipping and playing on words, even the women do this in the ring scene where they joke bawdily about their men giving their rings to other men. Bassanio treats him rather like a father, always asking for favours and never repaying his debts.
In looking at the male relationships within the play we can see the main themes of the play reflected in certain pairings. The theme of trade is mirrored in the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio and the religious connection is most prominent between Antonio and Shylock (although Shylock’s very appearance has this effect). The women also become involved by means of cross dressing and assuming a male identity. Their preparations for the disguise can be seen as a parody of the construction of male identity. The male relationships seem more important in Venice where the language is of trade and where patriarchy is more dominant. This balance is redressed in Belmont where love triumphs.
It seems to me that Antonio ends up alone because he does not conform to the economy of Belmont or Venice. He seems to expect love in return for lending and hovers somewhere between the two realms. The relationship between the two men appears to be one of unrequited or unequal love. This may be the reason for Antonio’s mysterious sadness at the opening of the play. It is easy to see that Antonio is in love with Bassanio. At every possible point he intervenes in his relationship with Portia, even a letter manages to separate them for a short while. His willingness to give up his body for his debts is reflective of a sexual or at least sensual exchange. Ultimately, though, Bassanio takes from Antonio and gives nothing in return and this inequality of exchange seems to be the biggest factor in their relationship.
Throughout this essay I will be using J.R. Brown (ed.), The Merchant of Venice. (London: Methuen,
1955).
L. Jardine, ‘Twins and Travesties’, in Erotic Politics, ed. Zimmerman. (London: Routledge, 1992).
This information was taken from J. Franceschina, Homosexualities in the English Theatre. (London:
Greenwood Press, 1997). p.50.
W.F. Eggers, ‘Love and Likeness in The Merchant of Venice’, Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 28, Issue
3, 1977. p.328.
W.H. Auden, ‘Brothers and Others’, in The Dyers Hand. (London: Faber and Faber, 1963). p.220.
L.W. Hyman, ‘The Rival Lovers in the Merchant of Venice’, Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 21, Issue 2,
1970. p.111.
