Merchant of Venice Essay: The Depression of Antonio -- Merchant Venice

The slack of Antonio in Merchant of Venice In the Merchant of Venice, we see a unfeignedly anti-Semitic nobble by Shakespeare. However, we as well see a report of money (greed and generosity), love (heterosexual and homosexual), and emotion (joy and sadness). The play revolves around Bassanios love for Portia. Bassanio inescapably money to play the suitor to Portia in style. His friend who loves him, Antonio, agrees to make water him the money, but, because all of his money is invested in his merchant ships he must use up a impart from the greedy Jew Shylock. Shylock loans him the money in stand in for a pound of his flesh if he does not pay the loan back on time. Bassanio wins Portias hand, but, before they are joined together, Portia will secrete herself in order to win the freedom of Antonio when his ships meet with ruin and he cannot repay Shylock. Shylock ends up losing half his wealth and must deepen before Portia is through with him. Antonio is a fascinating char acter study when it comes to psychological science because he is such a sad but noble character. He is world-weary and lifes material things do not bring him joy. He is also confused about his sadness. As he says in the opening linguistic communication of the play, In sooth, I know not why I an so sad/It wearies me you say it wearies you/But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,/What stuff tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn/And such a want-wit sadness makes of me/That I feed much ado to know myself (Shakespeare 203). Antonio explains he has scattered his investment risks quite adequately, so it is not his merchandize that makes him sad. Yet, he does tolerate that he feels it is his nature to be sad, as if he has a chemical substance imbalance that classifies him as cl... ...nificance with those of the Jewish faith who might befriend him, and it gives him a cynical, negative perspective of the culture around him. However, at the end of the play Antonio does seem to find some small measure of happiness when he comes to understand how much Portia has done on his behalf. This shows him that his perceptions of her understanding may have been limited because he more than likely did not expect his strongest retainer to be the wife of the man he loves, Sweet lady, you have tending(p) me life and living/For here I read for certain that my ships/ be safely come to road (Shakespeare 228). Thus, Antonio could be recommended for therapy because his depression has the potential to be ameliorated with a deeper understanding and acceptance of his thinking regarding life. Works CitedShakespeare, W. The Complete Works. random House, NY 1975.