Antonio Flashcards
Character summary of Antonio
Wealthy, successful merchant with good reputation in business allowing him to borrow money needed by Bassanio. Possesses an incorrigible dislike of Jews yet is loving/compassionate to beloved friends. Admired by friends Salerio states, “a kinder gentleman treads not the earth”
Antonion quotes: sadness
“In sooth, I know not why I am so sad, it wearies me, you say it wearies you” - 3rd person singular pronoun “it”, lack of specificity of sadness (money at sea OR missing B) leaves reader perplexed
Antonio quotes: loyalty, money
“My purse, my person, my extremest means lie all unlocked to your occasions” - asyndetic list offers his help immediately, unconditionally after B asks for more money (even though in debt), superlative “extremest” indicates at A’s almost reckless devotion to B. “Unlocked” may foreshadow caskets - B using A for wealth?
Antonion quotes: prejudice
Says that he is likely “to call thee so again, to spit on thee again, to spurn thee too” repeats things hes done to Shy & willing to do it again, discriminatory. Blind to the damage his prejudice causes. Adv of f “again”, repeated torment
“Lend it not as to thy friends” - could never have a friendship w Shy, anti-semitic
Calls Shy a “cut-throat dog” & a “misbeliever”
A says Shy’s“Jewish heart” will not “soften” - A suggesting Shy is hard-hearted simply bc hes a Jew.
Antonio quotes: love (paternal or romantic?)
PAT & ROM“To wind about my love with circumstance” - A is only hurt by fact that B thought he needed to explain himself to get moneu. More concerned abt relationship w B than his money. Obligated to help him, even though this might make him melancholic
PAT: Ordering B to “say to [him] what [he] should do” and that he is “prest unto it” - (“tell me what I can do for you & ill do it”) - frustrated by B trying to explain himself for money AND sounds like father-figure, will give up anything for B
ROM: “All debts are cleared between you and I if i might but see you at my death” - A’s unconditional love for B. Just seeing B before he dies is enough to clear all of B’s debts. Modal verb “might”, Shakesphere making A sound tentative (not demanding B to come, but suggesting he would like it to happen)
