In Act 1, Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice Bassanio finds himself in trouble: He is in debt up to his ears and he needs to escape his creditors. His plan is to ask the person whom he owes the most to lend him even more money for a new "get rich quick" scheme. As he explains to Antonio:
But my chief care
Is to come fairly off from the great debts
Wherein my time, something too prodigal,
Hath left me gaged. To you, Antonio,
I owe the most in money and in love,
And from your love I have a warranty
To unburden all my plots and purposes
How to get clear of all the debts I owe. . .
I owe you much, and, like a willful youth,
That which I owe is lost. But if you please
To shoot another arrow the self way
Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt,
As I will watch the aim, or to find both
Or bring your latter hazard back again,
And thankfully rest debtor for the first. (1.1.134-41;153-9)
Notice how Bassanio characters his relationship to Antonio. They have a bond of "money" and "love" and their interaction is both affectionate and financial. This interconnection of money and love further emerges when Bassanio revels his scheme to erase his debts: to marry Portia and her fortune.
Is Bassanio "in love" with Portia or is he just "using" her to pay his debts? Is he really a friend of Antonio or just his "gravy train"? Or is it more complicated? What is this play saying about the values of money and love? Are the two opposing values? Is one more important than the other? Does, as the saying goes, "love conquer all"?
In Shakespeare's comedy, "The Merchant of Venice", Bassanio's love for Portia which seems true and right on a surface level actually plays more into the recurring themes of looking more than skin deep to find the truth. In "The Merchant of Venice", Bassanio is stricken with poverty and debts that he is unable to pay. Portia, on the other hand, is wealthy enough to be able to pay these debts is full. So, it's a not impossible conclusion to draw that when Bassanio finds himself having interest in Portia that he is exclusively seeking her for financial gain. However, Bassanio seemingly disproves this claim in his attention to detail and care for Portia's features, stating: "What find I here?
ReplyDeleteFair Portia’s counterfeit! What demigod
Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes?
Or whether, riding on the balls of mine,
Seem they in motion? Here are severed lips
Parted with sugar breath; so sweet a bar
Should sunder such sweet friends. Here in her hairs
The painter plays the spider, and hath woven
A golden mesh t’ entrap the hearts of men
Faster than gnats in cobwebs. But her eyes!
How could he see to do them? Having made one,
Methinks it should have power to steal both his
And leave itself unfurnished. Yet look how far
The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow
In underprizing it, so far this shadow
Doth limp behind the substance. Here’s the scroll,
The continent and summary of my fortune.
. . .
A gentle scroll! Fair lady, by your leave,
I come by note to give and to receive.
Like one of two contending in a prize
That thinks he hath done well in people’s eyes,
Hearing applause and universal shout,
Giddy in spirit, still gazing in a doubt
Whether those peals of praise be his or no,
So, thrice-fair lady, stand I even so,
As doubtful whether what I see be true,
Until confirmed, signed, ratified by you." (3.2.118-34;143-52)
This sheer attention to detail seemingly proves his genuine adoration for Portia. However, as we know, a common theme throughout the play thus far is "don't judge a book by its cover." This even applies to the situation they find themselves in here as Bassanio was led to pick the chest of lead rather than of gold or silver. If we follow this logic, it's evident that Bassanio's true intentions lie elsewhere. This especially holds true when considering the context of each scene. In the case of Portia's contest, it's more important for him to be holding up his act as it's much more public. However, the same cannot be said behind closed doors where he tells Antonio "But my chief care / Is to come fairly off from the great debts / Wherein my time, something too prodigal, / Hath left me gaged." (1.1.134-47). Bassanio's first and utmost goal is to pay back his debt and he is willing to do what he must to do so.