Merchant of Venice Blog #1

At the start of Shakespeare's famous play, The Merchant of Venice, it appears that the two characters Antonio and Bassanio. But after close inspection, it is evident that Bassanio is the dominant member of the relationship and is able to manipulate Antonio. Antonio earns an excellent living from his work as a merchant and from time to time, Bassanio borrows money from him. But even though Bassanio spends the money very irresponsibly and does not repay the loan, he is still able to borrow more from Antonio. "'But if you please/To shoot another arrow that self way/ Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt,/ As I will watch the aim, or to find both/Orbring your latter hazard back again,/And thankfully rest the debtor for the first.'...'And out of doubt you do me now more wrong/In making question of my uttermost/ Than if you had made waste of all I have.'" [17) Most lenders in this situation would refuse to lend any more money to someone who has yet to repay their previous debt. But Antonio is more than willing to trust someone who foolishly squandered his first loan and may not repay it any time soon. At first glance, Antonio would seem to be the emotionally stronger of the two considering that he has a better paying job than Bassanio, but for some reason Antonio sees Bassanio as a very deserving friend when he actually isn't. Bassanio can walk all over Antonio and he wouldn't do anything about it.