Why is 'The Merchant of Venice' called after Antonio? Justify the

Why is ‘The Merchant of Venice’ called after Antonio? Justify the title of the play.

Comments on the title of “The Merchant of Venice’.

Ans.

A “merchant” is a person who indulges in international trade through sea and Antonio is the person who trades by sea and has been called a merchant several times in the play. The play is named after his quite appropriately.

The title of a play (or for that matter anything) should indicate the central or significant person or motive etc. In The Merchant of Venice’ we have in Antonio such a person.

Antonio is, without doubt, very passive. He lacks the spirit of adventure and enterprise. He is melancholy. But he is an exceedingly nice gentleman – a true and faithful friend, a noble soul ready to help anybody in distress. For these sterling virtues he is loved and respected by all (except, of course, by Shylock). He is inactive, no doubt, but he is main spring of action. He puts the Bond Story in motion by providing Bassanio with an loan on his surety. Shylock incorporates the punishment clause to feed his passion of revenge and hatred against Antonio who humiliates him publicly simply because Shylock is a Jew.

Since Antonio provides money to go the Belmont to try his luck, he is responsible for initiating the Caskets Story, Lorenzo is a friend of Antonio and he accompanies Salerio to Belmont to give Bassanio the news of Antonio’s impending disaster. It is Antonio who initiates the Rings story also. Bassanio had refused to part with his wedding ring but he sent it when Antonio asked him to do so. Later, it is he who is ultimately responsible to bring about the reconciliation and conclusion of the story of the Rings.

Thus Antonio is the central figure who is the cause of much of the action and whose fate is the main concern of the play. So the play is rightly called after him.