Who is the central character in ‘The Marchant of Venice’? Give a reasoned answer.

OR

“Bassanio is not a dominant character yet he is quite impressive.” Exemplify.

OR

“The fellow is a down right fortune hunter, he borrows to show a more swelling port with, and do capture a rich heiress and fat marriage portion.” Do you agree with this estimate of Bassanio’s character?

Ans.

Bassanio is a young, handsome and cultured Venetian. He belongs to an aristocratic family. He is the dearest friend of Antonio, a young and noble merchant after whom the play is named. Bassanio has squandered all his inheritance through his lavish ways. He approaches his friend Antonio for another loan (the earlier one is still unpaid). Bassanio is an intelligent person. His earlier mistakes have taught him a lesson. He decides to repair his losses and for this purpose he needs a loan from Antonio. Here he appears as a man of practical wisdom and not as a lover. He talks about a “lady richly left” and he desires to win her not because he loves her (he does love her but it appears he is proceeding to repair his loss and not because of love) but because he wishes to establish himself suitably in Venetian society. The illustration of shooting a second arrow to retrieve the first does not do credit to Bassanio as a lover of Portia. It projects him as a shrewd man of great and mature worldly wisdom. It has been rightly pointed out that he loves as a trader. Thus in the start Bassanio appears as a mercenary lover-a fortune hunter.

Bassanio is a man of very sweet and amiable disposition. He is universally loved and liked by all those who come in his contact. His learning. culture and handsomeness make a very favourable impression on Portia-the rich heiress of Belmont.

Bassanio is extravagant but he is intelligent and learns, through personal experience, his mistake and like a truly wise person proceeds to repair the earlier loss.

The illustration of the two arrows-shooting a second arrow to retrieve the first which is lost-shows his keen intelligence.

Bassanio has also a sense of honour. When Portia confesses her love for him and desires him to defer selection of caskets for some time more he does not make any unethical suggestion and decides in favour of making the choice immediately to end the state of suspense.

He has great love for Antonio and Portia. The expression on his face at the time of reading Antonio’s letter is a proof of his love for Antonio and his reluctance and embarrassment in parting with his ring show his love for his wife.

He has great accommodation and tolerance in his nature. He does not speak even a word against Shylock’s religious beliefs while every body hates him for being a Jew, and does not show disrespects for Judaism.

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