Write the character sketch of Antonio.

Ans.

ANTONIO

Antonio is the young and kind merchant of Venice after whom the play takes its name. Everybody, with the sole exception of Shylock, the Jew, speaks very highly to him.

Antonio is loved and respected by everyone for the steeling qualities of his character. Bassanio is his dearest friend and speaks very highly of Antonio and the praise may seem partial for what. Antonio has done for Bassanio. But similar sentiments of high praise and admiration are expressed by other characters also.

Antonio is a very kind and generous person. He is always willing to help all those who approach him with the request for help. Antonio lends money without interest to those Christians who suffer at the hands of Shylock and save them from his vicious clutches. He insults Shylock publicly and rails against his unethical practices and speaks ill of Judaism and the Jewish race. It is for this reason that Shylock nourishes a strong grievance against him and loses the time to take him into his net to take his revenge.

Antonio is a person of melancholy nature. No effort is successful to cheer him up.

He is an ideal friend. He-stakes his life for his dearest friend Bassanio. Even when he is helplessly writhing in the clutches of the Jew he does for a moment, regrets his action or think that he is to pay the price of his liberality.

For his friends and acquaintances, except, of course, Shylock, Antonio is all kindness and generosity. Even in the hour of his greatest grief he is all patience.

Antonio also contributes to the prevalent thinking of his times that the Jews are eternally lost and if they are converted to Christianity, ever by force, it is an act of mercy to redeem their souls from perdition, it is on this account that Antonio is so intolerant of Shylock. Also taking interest is considered an offence.

But there is a very glaring short coming in Antonio’s personality. It is his lack of self-assertion. He is, without the least doubt, too passive-passive to the extent that keeps Bassanio in dark about his state of affairs till it is too late.

Antonio is certainly not the hero of the play but he is the pivot, the source and center of all action. He is the figure round whom the battle of the Bond-story is fought. Again it is his generosity which starts the Caskets-Story. Without Antonio the play would have been impossible. The exigency of the plot needed such a person who would sign the bond and next, when the terrible danger draws near soul forbear to seek aid from his friend. The only man who could do this was Antonio because friendship is a passion and self-negation and self-effacement a second nature with Antonio. The character of Antonio, thus, is indispensable to The Merchant to Venice’.