What are Antonio and Bassanio's character traits in The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene 1?

Antonio opens The Merchant of Venice expressing melancholy, though he does not know what's causing his poor spirits. This suggests that he possesses an introspective side to his personality: to be aware and reflective upon his own emotional state of mind. As the conversation shifts towards business, we find Antonio very self assured on such matters. However, later on in this scene, when Bassanio asks Antonio for assistance, we find out that he has placed all of his fortunes at sea, something which suggests that his self confidence might border on recklessness, given the risks involved in these kinds of expeditions.

Likewise, this scene establishes certain elements concerning Bassanio's own characterization along with his relationship with Antonio. The two are very close friends and have a great deal of affection and loyalty to one another. Indeed, their conversation suggests that Bassanio already owes Antonio a great deal already, and he does not seem to hesitate invoking that friendship once more. However, there is a degree of inequality within their relationship, given Bassanio's own monetary troubles. (Bassanio even describes his relationship with Antonio in terms of a debt, both "in money and in love.") With that in mind, Antonio is both a close friend to Bassanio, but he is also a patron of sorts, offering his assistance while Bassanio struggles to escape his financial plight. Additionally, this scene establishes Bassanio's pursuit of Portia, which is itself driven by a mix of mercenary self interest (Portia is a wealthy heiress) and infatuation.

What is the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice?

Antonio and Bassanio appear to have a family connection, since Salanio refers to Bassanio as Antonio's "most noble kinsman." This, however, is secondary to their deep friendship, to which Antonio immediately alludes as soon as he realizes that Bassanio is going to ask him for money:

My purse, my person, my extremest means,
Lie all unlock'd to your occasions.

This is something more than ordinary friendship and is closer to a marriage vow, in which the couple declare that all their possessions are held in common. It is clear that Bassanio has borrowed money from Antonio before without paying it back, but Antonio remains eager to lend or, indeed, to give his friend whatever he needs. His only reproach is that Bassanio is not more direct and confident in asking for his help, knowing the love Antonio has for him.

You know me well, and herein spend but time
To wind about my love with circumstance;
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.

Again, this is more than ordinary friendship, and Antonio's language sometimes leads audiences to question the nature of the friendship between the two men. As in ancient Greece, intense romantic relationships between men were common in Elizabethan England, meaning that Shakespeare would not have thought of Antonio's love for Bassanio as "homosexual" (a word which did not exist at the time). There is no indication of a physical relationship between the two, and Bassanio is actually asking for his friend's help in pursuing a woman.

It also seems that Antonio's feelings are deeper and stronger than Bassanio's. The relationship might, therefore, be characterized as a deep and passionate friendship in which Antonio is the more emotionally invested. Bassanio, while he loves his friend, is less emotionally attached but is, to some extent, materially dependent on Antonio.

What is the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice?

Antonio is the merchant who is very generous, particularly with his good friends. Bassanio needs money in order to woo Portia. Even though all of Antonio's money is tied up in products yet to be sold, he agrees to help Bassanio because they are such close friends. Antonio is such a loyal friend to Bassanio that he agrees to borrow money from Shylock with the stipulation that Shylock can exact a pound of flesh from Antonio if he does not repay the loan within the agreed-upon time frame. 

Bassanio is more impulsive and irresponsible (especially with money). And although he is loyal to Antonio, he does take advantage of his generosity; the attempt to woo Portia (and thereby inherit the vast amount of money of her estate by marrying her) is a gamble that he is willing to take with Antonio's money and the pound of flesh. However, Bassanio does reveal that he is more than a self-indulgent gambler who takes advantage of his friend. He is a very loyal friend just as Antonio is to him. He offers Shylock twice the amount he'd loaned to Antonio. Shylock refuses and then Bassanio offers to give his own flesh instead of Antonio's: 

Good cheer, Antonio! What, man! Courage yet! 

The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all, 

Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood. (IV.i.113-15) 

In the end, neither Antonio nor Bassanio are cut because a disguised Portia discovers a technicality in the agreement that no blood can be shed. In the earlier case, Bassanio needs money and Antonio helps him. In the later case, Antonio is facing a potentially fatal injury and Bassanio offers to take his place. 

How is the friendship of Antonio and Bassanio depicted in The Merchant of Venice?

The two men share a very deep bond and seem to have a deep affection for one another. It has been suggested by many commentators that the melancholy that Antonio experiences at the beginning of the play is due to the fact that he realizes that he might lose his companion to another, for Bassanio wishes to travel to Belmont and try his luck in the lottery to win Portia's hand in marriage. Others are of the opinion that the two men share more than just a brotherly affection for each other and are romantically involved.

Whatever the case may be, it is obvious that they are very close. The depth of their relationship is mirrored in the closeness shared between Portia and her hand-maiden, Nerissa. They are not only just friends, but are confidantes as well.

It is clear that there is a relationship of trust between the two men because Bassanio approaches Antonio to ask him for a huge loan so that he may visit Belmont and compete against Portia's many other suitors. Having money will not only enable him to travel there but also make him look the part, since all Portia's suitors are gentleman with titles and status.

It is also obvious that Bassanio, who comes across as a wastrel, has grown dependent on Antonio's generosity, as he himself declares in Act 1, scene 1:

'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio,
How much I have disabled mine estate,
By something showing a more swelling port
Than my faint means would grant continuance:...

...To you, Antonio,
I owe the most, in money and in love,

Antonio has no qualms in helping his friend. At this juncture, though, he is unable to help his desperate companion since he has no ready cash available. All his merchant ships are at sea. He, however, does urge him to seek a loan from a moneylender in Venice, a task he will also undertake. He will then stand surety for the debt.

Antonio's allegiance to Bassanio is more than evident when he enters into a risky agreement with the Jewish moneylender, Shylock. He is more than willing to sign a bond with the Jew so that Bassanio may realize his dream. The bond conditions are harsh and require that Antonio should sacrifice a pound of his flesh to Shylock if he should forfeit. The agreement is for three thousand ducats to be paid in three months. Antonio signs the bond against Bassanio's advice.

Antonio's remarkably philanthropic gesture clearly denotes the love he has for the reckless Bassanio. The loan is granted and Bassanio soon sets off for Belmont. Once there, he is fortunate enough to choose the right casket and wins the beautiful Portia's hand in marriage. Just before their marriage, however, he receives the devastating news that Shylock has had Antonio arrested for forfeiting on the bond. The Christian merchant had lost his ships at sea and was penniless. As he reads the letter concerning this issue, Portia sees him grow deathly pale and expresses her concern in Act 3, scene 2:

There are some shrewd contents in yon same paper,
That steals the colour from Bassanio's cheek:
Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world
Could turn so much the constitution
Of any constant man.

On her inquiry, Bassanio tells her about Antonio's troubles and confirms the intensity of their friendship. The fact that Bassanio is so distressed about Antonio's misfortune is pertinent evidence that he cares much for his older friend. He calls Antonio his 'dearest friend' and immediately decides, with Portia's permission, to go to Venice where he can assist him.

Further proof of the strong bond between the two men is found in Bassanio's desperate attempts to have Shylock withdraw his claim for a pound of Antonio's flesh. He tries to negotiate with him, but the recalcitrant moneylender is not moved, even when he is offered twice the amount of the original loan.

In the end, though, Antonio is released because of Portia's intelligent intervention, and Shylock is severely sanctioned. On their return to Belmont, Antonio once again displays loyalty to his friend when he offers up his soul to vouch for Bassanio's loyalty to Portia. He says in Act 5, scene 1:

I once did lend my body for his wealth;
Which, but for him that had your husband's ring,
Had quite miscarried: I dare be bound again,
My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Will never more break faith advisedly.

To copy Shakespeare's style in Romeo and Juliet, one can only say:

Never was there a greater tale to make all know
about the depth of friendship between Antonio and his Bassanio.

In The Merchant of Venice, how and why does Antonio assist Bassanio financially?

Towards the end of act 1, scene 1, Bassanio explains to Antonio that he has been irresponsible with his finances but has a plan to gain money by traveling to Belmont to marry a wealthy heiress named Portia. Unfortunately, Bassanio cannot afford to travel to Belmont and asks Antonio to lend him money for the journey. Antonio is more than willing to lend Bassanio the money but cannot give him cash because his money is tied up in his ships' cargo, which is out at sea. The best Antonio can do is to lend Bassanio money by allowing him to charge all of his expenses to his credit. Antonio tell Bassanio,

Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea. Neither have I money nor commodity To raise a present sum. Therefore go forth, Try what my credit can in Venice do—That shall be racked even to the uttermost To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia (Shakespeare, 1.1.179-184).

In act 1, scene 3, Bassanio inquires about whether or not Shylock will lend him three thousand ducats on Antonio's line of credit. Initially, Shylock is skeptical because all of Antonio's money is invested in his merchant ships, which are out at sea. However, Shylock finally decides to lend Bassanio the money after Antonio agrees that he will give Shylock a pound of his flesh if he forfeits on the loan.

Is Bassanio truly in love with Portia in The Merchant of Venice?

Different readers will be able to defend this either way as their own opinion of Bassanio is formed; however, I do not believe that he is truly in love with Portia. I believe that Bassanio is in love with the idea of having Portia as his wife. She is definitely the kind of woman that men desire. She is both attractive and wealthy.

In Belmont is a lady richly left;
And she is fair, and, fairer than that word,
Of wondrous virtues: sometimes from her eyes
I did receive fair speechless messages:
Her name is Portia, nothing undervalued
To Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia

Wooing Portia and winning that conquest not only grants the winner a trophy wife and a fortune, but also the envy of other men. Bassanio even tells Antonio that other men are trying to win Portia's affections:

Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth,
For the four winds blow in from every coast
Renowned suitors, and her sunny locks
Hang on her temples like a golden fleece;
Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strand,
And many Jasons come in quest of her.

I just can't confidently state that Bassanio is in love with a woman that he wants to call his own in order to selfishly raise his personal reputation in society.

O my Antonio, had I but the means

To hold a rival place with one of them,

I have a mind presages me such thrift

That I should questionless be fortunate!

Does Bassanio genuinely love Portia in The Merchant of Venice, or is he after the money?

Bassanio presents his courtship of Portia to Antonio as a business venture. He says that he has "disabled" his estate and is now much in debt, to Antonio most of all, with very little income. He then announces his plan to restore his fallen fortunes:

In Belmont is a lady richly left;
And she is fair, and, fairer than that word,
Of wondrous virtues: sometimes from her eyes
I did receive fair speechless messages...

From these four lines, we learn four things about Portia: she is rich, she is beautiful, she is virtuous and she seems to favor Bassanio, at least according to him. Her wealth is mentioned first, however. She is not merely from a rich family, but richly left, which is to say in control of her own money. Portia is in a position to disencumber Bassanio's estate and pay off his debts immediately if he can manage to marry her.

Bassanio does speak enthusiastically of all Portia's qualities. It is a reasonable supposition that he would not have targeted a rich but unattractive and unappealing woman in the same way. However, given his emphasis on her wealth, it seems equally unlikely that he would have been in such a hurry to marry a poor woman who was as beautiful and virtuous as Portia. We later discover how intelligent and independent Portia is, making Bassanio's mercenary focus seem even more indicative of a failure to appreciate her true qualities. She, on the other hand, seems to love him much more ardently and disinterestedly, though her trick with the ring suggests that she aims to control him. If she loves him more, but is also the financially and intellectually dominant partner, their relationship may be relatively equal.

How do Antonio and Bassanio's characters contrast in The Merchant of Venice?

After analyzing the two character's personalities and actions throughout the play, one will find the following differences between Antonio and Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice. Antonio is a loyal, generous friend, who funds Bassanio's trip to Belmont. Unlike his close friend Bassanio, Antonio is a wealthy businessman with a positive reputation throughout Venice. Antonio is also melodramatic throughout the play, and his despair only worsens after he supposedly loses his ships. After learning that Shylock is within his rights to extract a pound of flesh, Antonio courageously accepts his fate. In contrast, Bassanio is a young, impulsive individual, who is deeply in love with Portia. Unlike Antonio, Bassanio is not wealthy and has squandered all of his money, which is why he asks Antonio to loan him money in the first place. Bassanio is also an upbeat, impetuous individual whose decisions add to the drama of the play. Unlike Antonio, Bassanio is a man of action, who is willing to risk everything to save his friend from Shylock's demands. 

How do Antonio and Bassanio's characters contrast in The Merchant of Venice?

In order to write a character contrast, you need to follow the development of the characters throughout the play and ask yourself relevant questions about them.

In The Merchant of Venice these are some questions that will reveal Antonio's character: How does he view friendship? Why does he agree to Shylock's demands for Basanio's sake? How does he react when he learns that the debt -tantamount to his life- will be collected? What does he think of Shylock in particular and of the Jews in general? What is his private life like?

Several of the above questions can be asked about Basanio as well, although the answers are bound to be different. One important question to ask about both is what kind of love moves them.

You can think of others along the same lines. Once you have your answers, with close reference to the text, you will be ready to write your essay.

What is Bassanio's plan to repay Antonio in The Merchant of Venice?

We can find the answer to this question in the very first scene of the play. Bassanio says that he has already borrowed a lot of money from Antonio, and apologizes for being in debt to him—it is evident that Bassanio spends more money than he earns and that Antonio has been endlessly generous with him, perhaps unwisely. Bassanio's scheme in this scene is to pursue Portia, of whom "the wide world" is not "ignorant of her worth." That is, Portia is a rich woman, and Bassanio feels that if he had "but the means" to court Portia, he would be able to win her. Having won her hand, then, he would "questionless be fortunate." What Bassanio is saying is that, if Antonio would only lend him some money, just one more time, Bassanio feels sure he would be able to win Portia's hand, become her husband, and therefore pay Antonio back all his debts out of the money of which he would then have access. It is not a plan which casts Bassanio in a very good light. It seems as if he has spent much time living off Antonio's money, and his next plan is simply to marry a rich wife and then proceed to live off hers. Antonio, however, readily agrees that Bassanio may use his credit to do what he needs.

Why couldn't Antonio lend money to Bassanio in The Merchant Of Venice?

Antonio could not give Bassanio any money since he did not have any ready cash available, as he explains to him:

Thou know'st that all my fortunes are at sea;
Neither have I money nor commodity
To raise a present sum:

What he means is that all his money has been invested in transporting commodities via ships to various destinations, since he is a sea merchant. Antonio also declares that he does not have any products which he can sell to raise the money Bassanio so desperately needs.

However, since Antonio wants to help his friend, he offers him an alternative:

therefore go forth;
Try what my credit can in Venice do:
That shall be rack'd, even to the uttermost,
To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia.
Go, presently inquire, and so will I,
Where money is, and I no question make
To have it of my trust or for my sake.

Since he is a respected businessman, Antonio advises Bassanio to use his good name and creditworthiness to establish what kind of money he can raise in Venice. He tells Bassanio to try his utmost and do whatever he can so that he may have enough cash to go to Belmont where he could chance his luck at winning the beautiful Portia's hand. He tells him to leave soon and inquire where he can find money (a loan). He will also do his own enquiry to find out who would be prepared to extend him the finances Bassanio needs. He gives Bassanio the assurance that he will not question the issue about the sum being secured through the use of his name, or for his sake.   

It is this unselfish act by Antonio which forms the basis of his relationship with Bassanio. He is prepared to do everything that needs to be done to assist his friend. It is, therefore, unfortunate that his magnanimity is exactly what gets him into trouble with the moneylender, Shylock.  

Antonio is able to secure an interest-free loan of three thousand ducats from Shylock for Bassanio's use. The loan has to be repaid within three months with the condition that, if Antonio should forfeit, he has to allow Shylock to cut out a pound of his flesh. Antonio agrees to these terms and accordingly signs the bond, much against Bassanio's appeal that he should not. Antonio is confident that he will easily be able to settle the debt even before the due date since his ships would have returned after delivering their cargo and he will have more than enough money. 

Ironically, destiny intervenes and Antonio's plans go horribly awry. His ships are destroyed at sea and he cannot settle the debt on the due date. Shylock sees this as an opportunity to take revenge against Antonio whom he despises. Fortunately, Bassanio's newly wed bride, Portia, intervenes and ultimately, it is Shylock who is punished and Antonio is absolved of his debt. 

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, what are Antonio's and Bassanio's contributions to their friendship?

Bassanio says, “To you, Antonio, / I owe the most, in money and in love.” Bassanio has “disabled [his] estate” by spending more money than he has. He wishes to repay Antonio, to whom he is in debt. Antonio replies that he knows Bassanio is honorable, and because of that, “My purse, my person, my extremest means, Lie all unlock'd to your occasions.” In fact, Antonio says it is better for Bassanio to waste all of his money than to assume Antonio needs an explanation for borrowing money from him. Bassanio’s plan is to borrow once again from Antonio in order to woo Portia, a woman who is rich enough to repay Antonio all Bassanio owes him. Antonio borrows from his enemy Shylock in order to give Bassanio this money.

Clearly, Antonio provides money and support to Bassanio. Antonio adores him. Salarino describes their parting:

And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible
He wrung Bassanio's hand; and so they parted.

Salanio says, “I think he only loves the world for him.” As for Bassanio, he refers to Antonio as, “The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,” comparing his sense of nobility to Roman honor. Bassanio does everything he can to save Antonio from Shylock’s wrath. He even says he will sacrifice everything, including his life and his wife’s, for Antonio’s. All Antonio wants in his final hours is for Bassanio to be by his side.

In conclusion, it is unclear what Bassanio provides for Antonio, other than youth, friendship, and a lively spirit. Antonio is a melancholy man who, as Salanio says, seems to live only for Bassanio. He gives everything he has to the young man. In return, Bassanio is grateful and loving towards him. The relationship seems like a romantic one, perhaps one in which Antonio loves Bassanio more than he loves him.

What two reasons does Bassanio give Antonio for needing money in The Merchant of Venice?

During their conversation in Act One, Scene One, Bassanio 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.
.... from your love I have a warranty
To unburden all my plots and purposes
How to get clear of all the debts I owe.

The first reason which Bassanio provides here is to clear all his debts. He has been too busy and neglectful to see to them being paid on time. He also expresses his faith in Antonio's love for him as a guarantee to help him pay such debts.

Antonio assures him that all his fortunes are at Bassanio's disposal and Bassanio admits that he is unable to repay a debt he already owes Antonio, but rest assured, he will sttle both the first debt and the one he is about to make. He uses an apt metaphor of using a second arrow flying in the same direction as the first which was lost, to regain it.

The good Antonio tells him not to be too concerned and that he should tell him what he needs. 

The second reason that Bassanio provides is expressed as follows:

In Belmont is a lady richly left;
And she is fair, and, fairer than that word,
Of wondrous virtues: sometimes from her eyes
I did receive fair speechless messages:
Her name is Portia, ...
... many Jasons come in quest of her.
O my Antonio, had I but the means
To hold a rival place with one of them,
I have a mind presages me such thrift,
That I should questionless be fortunate!

Bassanio states that he wishes to woo the beautiful and wealthy Portia from Belmont. She had shown an interest in him and he wants to compete against the many suitors who had come from far and wide to win her hand. He feels that he cannot rival them since he does not have the means (in financial terms) to do so. He believes that he will, if he should be able to do so (if he has money), be so thrifty that he will stand an equal chance to win her over. He therefore needs Antonio's help to give him a financial boost.

The magnanimous Antonio promises to help his desperate friend, but states that he has no cash on hand or goods as security to raise funds, because of his mercantile ventures. He asks Bassanio to venture to Venice and use his good name to obtain a loan. He shall, on his part, do the same so that Bassanio may have the means to go to Belmont and there win Portia's hand.

Does Bassanio genuinely love Antonio in The Merchant of Venice, or does he want more loans?

In The Merchant of Venice, it is quite clear from the outset that Antonio and Bassanio are dear friends. Modern audiences do not have the same acceptance or appreciation for their friendship and wonder why Antonio allows himself to be exposed by someone claiming to be his friend. However, Bassanio confides in Antonio who is waiting to hear the news of the lady and the "secret pilgrimage" he refers to in Act I, scene i (120) and Bassanio expresses his sincere regret at having "disabled mine estate" (123). He has promised to always tell Antonio the truth and so he admits that he has lost everything, including monies that Antonio has previously given him. It does seem that he is taking advantage of Antonio's apparent patience for his unacceptable behavior but the audience will see how he changes his mind about borrowing the money from Shylock when he hears what the forfeit is and that Antonio is expected to offer "an equal pound of your fair flesh" (I.iii.144). Antonio convinces Bassanio that it will never come to this so he is still prepared to sign the bond. Bassanio indicates that "I like not fair terms and a villain's mind"(174) and distrusts Shylock. He is persuaded by Antonio's confidence that his ships will arrive a month before the due date.

When matters take a turn for the worse for Antonio, Bassanio has been able to secure his marriage to Portia. However, when he hears of Antonio's plight, he is distraught even though Antonio's status no longer affects his chances and he could quite easily have not concerned himself with Antonio's present circumstances. So devastated is he that even Portia decides to risk everything for her new husband by first offering him everything that is hers and ultimately by posing as a man and setting up Shylock to ensure that the debt against Antonio is reversed. For Portia to go to such lengths when she sees her husband's distress must mean that Bassanio really is genuine. 

Discuss the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. What does their friendship reveal about their characters?

The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is one of deep love and respect. These two characters have a bond that is unshakeable. As Act I of The Merchant of Venice begins, Antonio, the titular merchant, is engaged in conversation with Salarino and Solanio, two friends with whom both he and Bassanio are close. An early indication of the closeness of the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio is provided at the outset. As Antonio, Salarino, and Solanio speak, the latter two prepare to depart—but not without noticing that Bassanio approaches, prompting Solanio to remark, "Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman...." 

That something is troubling Antonio is apparent to all of his friends. Solanio and Salarino remark upon their friend's demeanor, and, now, Gratiano and Lorenzo, who accompany Bassanio, similarly notice Antonio's depression:

GRATIANO

You look not well, Signior Antonio;
You have too much respect upon the world:
They lose it that do buy it with much care:
Believe me, you are marvellously changed.

ANTONIO

I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano;
A stage where every man must play a part,
And mine a sad one.

So we know that Antonio is much loved by his friends, but these well-meaning gentlemen are mistaken in assuming that Antonio's worries center around the burden of his business ventures. As the audience soon learns, it is not business that is currently on Antonio's mind so much as it is his dearest friend Bassanio's situation. Bassanio is in love with Portia but needs money, which he usually borrows from Antonio, in order to properly woo her in this exceedingly class-conscious environment. It is his friend's romantic yearnings that propel Antonio into the fateful arrangement with the Jewish moneylender Shylock. Unable to raise the requisite funds Bassanio needs from his heavily leveraged business arrangements, Antonio borrows money from Shylock, despite the latter's unconventional condition:

In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

What do we learn about the natures of Antonio and Bassanio from their friendship? We learn that these two individuals are passionate about their lives and that they are more than a little loyal to each other.  So loyal to Bassanio is Antonio that he agrees to a business transaction with Shylock that involves the mutilation of his body in the event he is unable to repay the loan--a serious gesture even with his confidence that such drastic measures will not prove necessary. We learn that Bassanio is a true friend to Antonio but one who is financially irresponsible and, as a consequence, abusive, perhaps, of his friend's munificent nature. It is, after all, Bassanio's irresponsible conduct that results in Antonio's dangerous business arrangement with Shylock. We also learn that these gentlemen are anti-Semitic, and that the anti-Semitism that permeates the culture in which they exist will, ultimately, save Antonio from having to make good on his debt.

In The Merchant of Venice, is Antonio in love with Bassanio?

There is a school of thought that says that Antonio is homosexual and in love with Bassanio but there is not really enough evidence in the play to support this. It is more likely that Antonio is a kind of fatherly figure to Bassanio and is prepared to do anything to ensure his happiness.

At the beginning of the play, Bassanio is impetuous and desperately trying to secure his fortune through marriage. Antonio bails him out by giving him money and it doesn't seem to be the first time. Bassanio is almost like a teenager; at times he does what he wants with very little thought as to the consequences. Antonio is the parental figure who will do anything to ensure that he is happy and get what he wants; even if it costs him his life.

How are Antonio and Bassanio introduced in The Merchant of Venice's first act?

Antonio and Bassanio are kinsmen and close friends, who engage in revelry with others such as Salerio, Solanio and Gratiano. In the first scene of Act I, Bassanio asks a favor of Antonio and confides in his friend.

Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice opens with Antonio talking with two friends, Salerio and Solanio. He mentions that he is overcome with a certain melancholy for which he can find no source. The other men suggest that he is anxious about his merchant ships that are at sea; furthermore, in an effort to empathize, Solanio tells Antonio that he used to worry constantly when his ships were at sea with cargo. But, Antonio declares that it is not anxiety for his ships that disturbs him. His description of his feelings are those of melancholy; it is as though Antonio has a presentiment.

I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano--
A stage where every man must play a part,
And mine, a sad one. (1.1.76-78)

Gratiano cautions Antonio to not cultivate melancholy in order to gain a reputation for silent wisdom:

Fish not with this melancholy bait
For this fool gudgeon, this opinion. (1.1.101-102)

Shortly after this, Bassanio enters and jests about Gratiano, declaring that he speaks "an infinite deal of nothing" (1.1.114). Antonio asks Bassanio about his secret lady for whom Bassanio "swore a secret pilgrimage." Bassanio, then, tells Antonio that he is in debt, even as he knows that he owes Antonio money still. But, he has an idea of how he can repay his debts to Antonio, who bids him to speak,

Then do but say to me what I should do

That in your knowledge may by me be done,

And I am pressed unto it. Therefore speak. (1.1.160-163)

In The Merchant of Venice, under what condition does Antonio agree to help Bassanio and why?

Bassanio and Antonio are best friends and , as such, Antonio would do anything to help his friend. Bassanio has recklessly spent any funds he may have had and has therefore "disabled mine estate"(I.i.122) and knows of Portia who is wealthy and must choose a suitor in terms of her late father's will. Bassanio wants to present himself as a possible suitor so needs Antonio to lend him money to improve his chances and make him appear sufficiently wealthy.  

Antonio insists that Bassanio must tell him why he needs the funds and agrees to help him to win Portia but is unable to lend him money himself as it is all tied up in ships that have not yet reached port. However, Antonio is secure and confident that his ships will return and so agrees that Bassanio should borrow money from Shylock, "the Jew." He tells Bassanio to "try what my credit can in Venice do" (180) so Bassanio asks Shylock to lend the money to Antonio, who despises Shylock - the feeling is mutual.

Even though it goes against his code, Antonio will borrow money from Shylock who he asks to "lend it rather to thine enemy"  (I.iii.130). Eventually it is agreed that Antonio's bond will be "a pound of flesh" but Antonio is very sure that it will not come to this.

How does the friendship between Antonio and Bassanio form the basis of The Merchant of Venice?

Antonio and Bassanio's friendship gets Antonio into serious trouble with Shylock, but it also rescues him from that trouble.

The main plot of the play has to do with the "bond" (legal contract) Antonio signs with Shylock: if Antonio does not pay his debt on time, Shylock is entitled to a pound of his flesh. Antonio does not take out the loan from Shylock for himself. He does it so he can give a loan to his friend Bassanio.

Antonio has lent Bassanio money in the past, and Bassanio for various reasons has always been unable to pay him back. For most friendships, this would cause the person in Antonio's position to end the friendship, or at least stop lending. Many people in Bassanio's position would hesitate to ask for yet another loan from Antonio. These two are very confident in each other's friendship, though. Bassanio asks for a loan so he can woo Portia, and Antonio gives it and even says not to worry about the past defaults.

At the time of his bond with Shylock, Antonio does not dream that he'll be unable to pay; he is very rich and has many ships out on moneymaking ventures. Only when every single one of his ships are wrecked is he in danger of having to pay a pound of flesh. 

By this time, Bassanio has married Portia, who is an heiress. Bassanio now has the money, and he is willing to pay Shylock back the amount of the debt. When Shylock insists on having Antonio's flesh instead, Bassanio offers to pay up to ten times what Shylock lent, but Shylock will not accept it.

Bassanio is unable to save Antonio financially. He does, however, save him indirectly, by being married to Portia. When Portia learns of the trouble her husband's friend is in, she sneaks off to Venice, dresses up as a young lawyer, and saves Antonio in a court of law by proving the bond does not allow Shylock to draw any blood.  

Bassanio is unaware until afterward that the young lawyer is Portia, so he certainly is not in on the plan. Nevertheless, it is the fact of his being Antonio's friend that brings Portia to Antonio's aid. She wants to help her husband's best friend. In fact, she insists he be helped at once.

If Bassanio had not married Portia, she would not have heard about Antonio's plight. On the other hand, it was in order to marry Portia that Bassanio caused Antonio to take the fateful loan from Shylock. So it is the friendship between the two men, as well as the love between Bassanio and Portia, that cause the trouble and later solve it. These relationships drive a large part of the plot.

What are the complexities between the characters Antonio and Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice?

They are very good friends, so good that Bassanio asks Antonio for money, admitting that he is bad credit risk ("I have disabled my estate").  He wants the money to court rich Portia, and becoming rich with her, he will pay back the loan to Antonio.  Even when Antonio does not have the money, but needs to borrow it from someone he loathes ,Shylock, Bassanio does not demur and say "never mind" but takes the money anyway.  Antonio is troubled, sad from the first lines of the play, and by the end he stands on the stage by himself, everyone else living happily ever after with a lover/husband/wife.  Some critics suggest that the reason Antonio is so sadat the beginning and  so willing to die for Bassanio after defaulting on the loan is that his friendship with Bassanio goes beyond deep friendship--that he loves him deeply and perhaps longs for him in a homoerotic way.  This would account for the melancholy he cannot explain and aloneness at the end of the play.

In The Merchant of Venice, how does Shakespeare illustrate the theme of friendship between Antonio and Bassanio?

In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare begins establishing the theme concerning the strength and devotion of Antonio's and Bassanio's friendship in the very first scene.

In the first scene, we learn that Antonio is feeling blue and worried because he has investments in ships that are presently sailing in troubled waters, as we learn when Solanio comments to Antonio that if he, Solanio, were out there with those ships, "the better part of [his] affections would / Be with my hopes" for their safe homecoming (I.i.15-16).  When Bassanio enters the scene, we also learn that Bassanio owes Antonio a great deal of money he will not yet be able to repay. However, he discloses to Antonio his plans to court a wealthy woman who, if he marries, will solve all of his financial problems, enabling him to repay his friend Antonio. Trouble is, Bassanio will need to borrow more money from Antonio to be able to compete in courting her.

What's fascinating about this scene is just how lovingly and compassionately Antonio responds to Bassanio when the later speaks of his plight and how generously Antonio offers anything he can to Bassanio in order to help him, including his friendship, his services, and even more money:

And, if it stands, as you yourself still do,
Within the eye of honour, be assur'd,
My purse, my person, my extremest means,
Lie all unlock'd to your occasions. (141-44)

In saying "if it stands as you yourself still do, / Within the eye of honour," Antonio is asking Bassanio to tell him all about the lady and Bassanio's plans for wooing her and saying that if the plan is as honorable as Bassanio is still honorable, then Antonio will gladly do all he can to help him. In other words, Antonio is taking the opportunity to call Bassanio honorable despite his financial difficulties and the money he still owes Antonio.

Hence, all in all, Shakespeare establishes the theme of devoted friendship that is carried throughout the rest of the play, even to the extent that it looks like Antonio will have to lay down his life for Bassanio.

What binds Antonio and Bassanio's friendship in The Merchant of Venice?

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Antonio and Bassanio seem to have opposite personalities: Bassanio appears to suffer from a dire lack of finances, while Antonio is a successful merchant. Be that as it may, the two men are close friends, and their friendship is bound by a mutual concern for each other's well-being. 

Consider, for instance, that Antonio readily and selflessly helps Bassanio secure funds so he can court Portia. Likewise, once he catches wind of Antonio's financial difficulties, Bassanio immediately departs Belmont and sets out for Venice, despite his upcoming wedding to plan/ attend. In short, it seems both characters are ready to help each other at the drop of a hat, and will do whatever they must to ensure the other is supported. As such, it's apparent Bassanio and Antonio's friendship is bound by a strong mutual concern for each other's well-being, and this quality enables two seemingly opposite men to enjoy such a vibrant friendship. 

In The Merchant of Venice, what does the trial scene reveal about Antonio and Bassanio's characters?

When Bassanio first appears In Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice, Antonio, Salerio, and Salanio are talking about why Antonio seems to be feeling so sad lately. Salanio says to Antonio, "Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman ..." (1.1.59). Since this is the first thing that any character says about Bassanio, on his very first entrance into the play, Shakespeare apparently considered Bassanio's kinship with Antonio to be of some importance to their relationship and to the play.

Oddly, though, Antonio and Bassanio's kinship is never mentioned again anywhere in the play. Nevertheless, their friendship is unquestioned, and their friendship defines their relationship.

The depth of their friendship is no more clearly demonstrated than in the trial scene, act 4, scene 1. Antonio faces the distinct possibility that his failure to repay the money he borrowed from Shylock on Bassanio's behalf will result in his own death.

However, Antonio has no ill feelings whatsoever towards Bassanio for being in this unfortunate circumstance, and he's willing to accept his fate for helping his friend.

ANTONIO. ... therefore, I do beseech you,
Make no more offers, use no farther means,
But, with all brief and plain conveniency,
Let me have judgment and the Jew his will. (4.1.81-84)

A short time later, Bassanio offers himself as payment for the forfeit of the loan.

BASSANIO. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man! courage yet!
The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood. (4.1.113-115)

Bassanio previously offered to pay Shylock twice the amount of the loan, but Shylock refused the offer.

BASSANIO. For thy three thousand ducats here is six.

SHYLOCK. If every ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them,—I would have my bond. (4.1.85-88)

Shylock wants his "pound of flesh."

Later in the scene, Bassanio again tries to intercede on Antonio's behalf:

BASSANIO. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court;
Yea, twice the sum: if that will not suffice,
I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart .... (4.1.212-215)

When it becomes clear that Shylock is absolutely intent on getting his "pound of flesh" from Antonio, Antonio prepares to suffer his fate and offers nothing but love to Bassanio.

ANTONIO: ... Give me your hand, Bassanio: fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom:
... Commend me to your honourable wife:
Tell her the process of Antonio's end,
Say, how I lov'd you, speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
Repent not you that you shall lose your friend,
And he repents not that he pays your debt;
For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it instantly with all my heart. (4.1.272-288)

Bassanio responds in kind, once again offering himself and everything he has to save his friend Antonio:

BASSANIO. Antonio, I am married to a wife,
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world
Are not with me esteem'd above thy life;
I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you. (4.1.289-294)

These exchanges between these two friends demonstrate the depth of their love and friendship for each other and the depth of the nobility of their characters—aside from their abject hatred of Shylock and the depth of their anti-Semitism, which are also clearly expressed in the trial scene and throughout the play.

Why was Antonio fond of Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice?

It seems that Antonio is actually in love with Bassanio. He is willing to put his money, credit, and well-being on the line for Bassanio. He is often melancholy, which in Shakespearean times was an indicator of love-sickness. As there is no female love interest in the story that is connected to Antonio, his depressed state can be seen as a symptom of his unrequited love for Bassanio.

In The Merchant Of Venice, do Bassiano and Antonio have a strong friendship?

They definitely do. At the beginning of the play, Bassanio approaches Antonio for financial assistance to aid his attempt to win the fair Portia's hand in marriage. She is a wealthy heiress from Belmont whose father determined in his will could only wed a suitor who makes the correct choice from three caskets: gold, silver, and lead. She has been approached by a number of wealthy suitors, men of status and stature. Bassanio wants to compete against them on an equal footing, and asks Antonio to lend him money so he can do so.

It is obvious from their conversation that this is not the first time Bassanio has sought such a favor from Antonio, as he himself mentions:

...if you please
To shoot another arrow that self way
Which you did shoot the first.

It is also clear that Bassanio is a wastrel, as he admits as much to Antonio:

'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio,
How much I have disabled mine estate,
By something showing a more swelling port
Than my faint means would grant continuance...

...my chief care
Is to come fairly off from the great debts
Wherein my time something too prodigal
Hath left me gaged.

Bassanio is assured of Antonio's love and care for him and knows his friend will help him. Antonio guarantees as much:

Within the eye of honour, be assured,
My purse, my person, my extremest means,
Lie all unlock'd to your occasions.

The conversation between the two men is indefatigable proof that they share a very close bond. Antonio is prepared to help Bassanio by whatever means possible, even though he knows Bassanio might just waste the money he lends him. He is also obviously aware he might never be repaid. In spite of this, Antonio is prepared to help his friend. Antonio admits he does not have any ready cash, but urges Bassanio to find a moneylender in Venice and use his good name to obtain a loan for which he will stand surety. 

These actions speak of a man who is prepared to help a friend, so their relationship obviously must be more than just a shallow acquaintance. This is later proven when Antonio agrees to the harsh bond terms set by the moneylender Shylock when he loans three thousand ducats to Bassanio. Shylock sets, as a condition, that he should be entitled to cut out a pound of Antonio's flesh if he should forfeit on the bond, which has to be repaid within three months. Antonio accepts these terms despite Bassanio's request that he not, as Bassanio does not trust Shylock. 

Further proof of their close relationship lies in the fact that, when Antonio falls on hard times when his ships are all destroyed, Bassanio is prepared to leave the comfort of his new home and marriage to be with his friend. He delays the consummation of his marriage to rush from Belmont to assist his desperate friend. Shylock has had Antonio arrested because he forfeited on repaying a loan. According to the terms of their agreement, Shylock could claim a pound of Antonio's flesh.

Another indication of the depth of their friendship lies in the fact that, in Act V, Scene 1, Antonio once again vows to help his friend and sacrifice even his soul to vouch for him.

I once did lend my body for his wealth;
Which, but for him that had your husband's ring,
Had quite miscarried: I dare be bound again,
My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Will never more break faith advisedly.

He says this on the occasion of Portia accusing Bassanio of having given away a cherished ring that she had entrusted to him even though he vowed never to get rid of it. Antonio is prepared to give up his soul as a guarantee that Bassanio would never again break his word.  

Lastly, many commentators believe further proof of Bassanio and Antonio's friendship lies in Antonio's melancholic mood at the beginning of the play. Antonio is unable to say what is making him so sad. Some believe his depression is brought on by the fact that Bassanio is about to leave him for Belmont to try to win the hand of Portia, the wealthy and beautiful heiress. Whn Bassanio leaves, Antonio will lose a friend and confidante.

The depth of Antonio's sentiment for his friend is further proven by the fact that, in spite of the possibility of losing his companion to another, he is still prepared to ensure Bassanio's happiness and generously offers to help him. 

What is the nature of the friendship between Antonio and Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice?

The friendship between Antonio and Bassanio is an important theme in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. To start on this project, you should break it into several small steps.

My first suggestion would be downloading a free copy of the text of The Merchant of Venice from a site such as the MIT Complete Works of William Shakespeare or Project Gutenberg. This will enable you to do searches of the play for the words "friend" and "friendship", so you can do a complete analysis of how friendship is discussed in the play. You will also be able to search for all of the lines spoken by or about these two characters. If you have difficulty in understanding specific phrases or references, consult the eNotes etext of the play, which includes annotations. 

Next, you should look at the role of the friendship in the plot structure. Antonio's willingness to help his friend, and Shylock's insistence on collecting the pound of flesh drive much of the plot and characterization.

Your main focus should be on the nature of the friendship itself, and what is sometimes called the "client-patron" relationship. In one sense, it appears that the friendship is unequal, with Antonio helping Bassanio and Bassanio the main beneficiary of the association. While that is true financially, in this period, part of prestige for wealthy people was the size and importance of their networks of what were called "clients", poorer friends who associated with them and depended upon them. As Antonio builds a network of friends and help them, he becomes more powerful and well-connected, as one can see when his network collaborates to help him in his trial. Thus for the main part of your project you might want to analyze the friendship in terms of the concept of patronage networks. An interesting contrast is how the social exclusion of the Jews from the Christian society of Venice limits their abilities to create such powerful networks and puts a Jew such as Shylock at a disadvantage in any conflict with Christians. 

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, what does Antonio and Bassanio's friendship reveal about their personalities?

Antonio and Bassanio are very close friends throughout the play The Merchant of Venice. Antonio willingly takes out a loan to fund Bassanio's trip to Belmont despite the fact that his assets are lost at sea. Antonio essentially risks his life for his friend's happiness by accepting terms from Shylock that indicate that Antonio will have to give a pound of his flesh if he defaults on the loan. Bassanio is overwhelmed with grief when he receives the news about Antonio's ships and the fact that Antonio will have to forfeit on his loan. Bassanio does not consummate his marriage with Portia and leaves Belmont immediately to return to Venice. Right before Shylock is about to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio's breast, Antonio tells Bassanio that he loves him. Bassanio responds by telling Antonio that he would gladly give up his wife and friends to see Antonio live. Antonio's willingness to risk his life for Bassanio's happiness reveals his magnanimous personality. Bassanio's loyalty is portrayed in his decision to leave Belmont to come to his friend's aid. Both Antonio and Bassanio are caring, selfless individuals who value each other.