Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice - Antonio

Part ofEnglishThe Merchant of Venice

Key points

  • Antonio is one of the main characters in The Merchant of Venice, a play by William Shakespeare.

  • Antonio and his friend Bassanio ask for a loan so that Bassanio can impress Portia, the woman he loves.

  • They get a loan from Shylock, but Antonio agrees to give a pound of his flesh if he cannot repay it within three months.

Did you know?

Antonio is the merchant in the play’s title. It has been suggested that Shakespeare chose Antonio as the title character because he ties all the other characters and plot points together.

Images of a quill and ink pot, purple question mark and William Shakespeare above an open book.
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Plot summary

The infographic is a plot summary timeline consisting of nine images connected by a series of gold coins that show the events of The Merchant of Venice. In the first image Bassanio has his arm on Antonio’s shoulder, but Antonio is shrugging with his hands aloft and a disappointed expression on his face. In the second image Portia and Nerissa are sat down drinking coffee and chatting to each other. In the third image Antonio’s hand is shown signing a scroll of paper that is next to a sack of money. In the fourth image the silhouetted figure of the Prince of Morocco walks away sadly from three chests, one of which is open and empty. In the fifth image Jessica, who is wearing men’s clothes and a fake moustache, is running away with a large chest of jewels in her arms. In the sixth image Bassanio is knelt down on one knee in front of Portia offering her an engagement ring. Portia looks happy. In the seventh image Shylock is standing threateningly in front of Antonio with the contract in his hand. Antonio is sat tied to a chair with his shirt undone. In the eighth image Portia puts her hand up in a stop motion with the contract in her other hand. She is dressed in lawyers robes and is wearing a fake moustache. In the final image Portia and Bassanio stand in front of each other with happy expressions on their faces. Portia is holding the lawyer’s robes in her hands.
A plot summary of The Merchant of Venice
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Antonio’s key moments

Click through the slideshow to see Antonio’s key moments

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  1. Antonio, who is wearing a fur-lined cape and black hat, stands next to Bassanio, who is wearing a brown leather cloak, with a purposeful expression on his face.

    Antonio’s friend Bassanio asks him for a loan, but Antonio doesn’t have the money. They instead decide to go and see Shylock, a moneylender.

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Character traits

Antonio, who is wearing a brown shirt with puffed sleeves, a black overcoat and a black hat, looks across the stage with his hands folded in front of it.
Dominic Mafham as Antonio in a 2015 production of the play

Honest
When Antonio becomes bankrupt and Shylock demands his pound of flesh, Antonio does not protest because he agreed to the contract.

Antisemitic
One of the reasons Antonio dislikes Shylock because he is Jewish. Antonio offers lower interest rates on loans than Shylock to deliberately take business away from him. He also pressures him to convert to Christianity at the end of the play.

Loyal
Antonio saying that he will act as for the loan from Shylock shows he is loyal as he is willing to put himself at risk to help Bassanio.

Antonio, who is wearing a brown shirt with puffed sleeves, a black overcoat and a black hat, looks across the stage with his hands folded in front of it.
Dominic Mafham as Antonio in a 2015 production of the play

Listen to a scene

Listen to the audio clip below, which is taken from Act 4, scene 1, when Antonio says what he thinks are going to be his final words, and then answer the question below.

What two things does Antonio ask Bassanio to do?

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Relationships

Antonio is in the middle of the infographic in a white circle. A red line connects him to an image of Shylock, which shows that they are enemies. Green lines connect him to images of Portia and Bassanio, which shows that they are his friends.
Antonio and his relationship to Bassanio, Portia and Shylock

Antonio’s willingness to help Bassanio shows the audience how close they are. Antonio is also friends with Lorenzo, who runs away with Jessica, Shylock’s daughter.

Antonio is popular with many people because he offers cheap loans. Additionally, Portia shows she is fond of him because she saves his life when she pretends to be a lawyer.

Antonio and Shylock stand in front of a small model town. Shylock looks unimpressed and Antonio's arm is reaching out to Shylock's shoulder.
Scott Handy as Antonio and Patrick Stewart as Shylock in a 2011 production of the play

Antonio’s only enemy is Shylock. Shylock does not like Antonio because he offers interest free loans, taking business away from Shylock himself. Shylock says that he is treated badly by others, particularly Antonio, because he is Jewish.

In Shylock’s famous speech below, he talks about Antonio’s behaviour towards him.

He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what’s his reason? I am a Jew.
– Shylock,
— The Merchant of Venice, Act 3, scene 1

In this quote, Shylock lists eight ways that Antonio has wronged him because of his religion, including turning his friends against him.

Another example of Antonio treating Shylock badly because he is Jewish is the way in which he often refers to Shylock as “the Jew”. Antonio also pushes him to convert to Christianity at the end of the play.

Antonio and Shylock stand in front of a small model town. Shylock looks unimpressed and Antonio's arm is reaching out to Shylock's shoulder.
Scott Handy as Antonio and Patrick Stewart as Shylock in a 2011 production of the play

What is antisemitism?

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Changes in character

On the left hand side of the infographic Antonio looks sad and is wiping away a tear. In the middle of the infographic he looks determined and is clutching a scroll of parchment. On the right hand side of the infographic he is holding his hand up in a stop motion and looking to the side, as if he doesn't want to listen to what someone is saying to him.
Changes in Antonio's character

In lots of ways Antonio is a static character, meaning he does not change much throughout the play. He is quick to help Bassanio to get the money that he needs to visit Portia. He continues to show that he is a good friend when he agrees to give a pound of his flesh if the loan cannot be repaid.

However, the audience might also see him as hypocritical. He says that Shylock is merciless but he shows Shylock no mercy at the end of the play. He says that if Shylock converts to Christianity and leaves his money to Jessica and Lorenzo when he dies then he can keep his half of the money, knowing that Shylock’s religion is very important to him.

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Activity - Order it

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What do these key quotations mean?

I hate him for he is a Christian,
But more for that in low simplicity
He lends out money gratis and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
— Shylock, The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, scene 3

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose!
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— Antonio, The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, scene 3

The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,
The best conditioned and unwearied spirit
In doing courtesies.
— Bassanio, The Merchant of Venice, Act 3, scene 2

Give me your hand, Bassanio. Fare you well.
Grieve not that I am fall’n to this for you.
— Antonio, The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, scene 1

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