The Homosexual Relationship Between Antonio and Bassanio...

The Homosexual Relationship Between Antonio and Bassanio in William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice Tsun-Hsien Tsai Sophomore Student, Department of English National Changhua University of Education There are many pairs of male adults with honorable masculine friendships appearing in William Shakespeare’s popular plays, such as Antonio and Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice, Antonio and Sebastian in Twelfth Night, the two kings Leonates and Polixenes in The Winter’s Tale, and so on. No matter what social status and age they are, it is natural for men to develop friendship. However, among them, the same-sex friendship between Antonio and Bassanio in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is most controversial. Reading from the†¦show more content†¦In order to facilitate Bassanio’s pursuit of a beautiful lady in Belmont, Antonio decides to lend money to the youth. He is only too ready to â€Å"give and hazard all he hath† for Bassanio’s sake (2.7.9). The eager homoerotic emotion in Antonio’s insistent feeling for Bassanio is made explicit when Antonio decides to offer his credit for supplying the money for Bassanio’s suit. It is clear that Antonio is willing to dedicate his wealth and his life to Bassanio’s marriage happiness. Sinfield proclaims that â€Å"the mercenary nature of Bassanio’s courtship, which troubles mainstream commentators who are looking for a ‘good’ heterosexual relationship, is Antonio’s reassurance,† and it allows Antonio to believe that â€Å"Bassanio will continue to value their love, and give him a crucial role as baker of the enterprise† (â€Å"How to read The Merchant of Venice†124). For Antonio, his endless economical supports can keep Bassanio cherish their homoerotic relationship with each other. Without any question, the topic of economics is profoundly presented through the financial help given by Antonio to Bassanio. Hyman declare s that Antonio puts his wealth at his friend’s disposal is a means of expressing his love forShow MoreRelated Homosexuality in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1474 Words   |  6 PagesHomosexuality in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice With every great story line comes a theme. William Shakespeare created an art of intertwining often unrecognizable themes within his plays. In Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, one hidden theme is the idea of homosexuality. This theme might not have even been noticed until modern Shakespeare fans discovered them. According to Alan Bray’s book, Homosexuality in Renaissance England, â€Å"the modern image of ‘the homosexual’ cannotRead MoreRelationship Between Antonio And Bassanio1609 Words   |  7 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, there have been two main interpretations of the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. Some have speculated that the relationship between the two men is homosexual, while others believe that the relationship is purely a male friendship. This conflicting opinion is depicted through the 1973 film production directed by John Sichel and the 2004 film production directed by Michael Radfor d. The 1973 film portrays a male friendship, whereas the 2004Read MoreBlurred Gender Lines And Elizabethan Fear Of Femininity1819 Words   |  8 Pagesconcepts of gender are blurred due to an open approach on the subjects of masculinity, femininity and all that may lie in between. However, as William Shakespeare was writing within the Elizabethan era, the lines of being masculine and being feminine were clearly determined in society, yet the cross-dressing plots in Shakespeare’s As You Like It (1599) and The Merchant of Venice (1597) illustrate how even within this time period, the identity of gender were constantly being questioned. Rosalind andRead MoreEssay about Comparing Shakespeare’s Women in Disguise2920 Words   |  12 PagesEngland at this time, cross-dressing was looked at as a dramaturgical motif, a theatrical practice, and a social phenomenon. â€Å"In Shakespeare’s day, a cross-dressed heroine, like any female character also involved a gender swi tch in the world of the playhouse, for women’s roles were normally assigned to young male apprentices called play-boys† (Shapiro, 1). In each of Shakespeare’s five plays involving a cross-dressing heroine, he tried something different. He cleverly varied each motif in which each play