Part 21 (1/2)

First of all, Antonio has that subnation in face of defeat and suffering which we have already seen as characteristics of Richard II The resignation ht al rather from the natural melancholy and sadness of Shakespeare's disposition; ”the world is a hard, all-hating world,” he seems to say, ”and misery is the natural lot of man; defeat comes to all; why should I hope for any better fortune?”

At the very beginning of the trial he recognizes that he is certain to lose; Bassanio and Gratiano appeal to the Duke for him; but he never speaks in his own defence; he says of his opponent at the outset:

”I do oppose My patience to his fury, and am arm'd To suffer, with a quietness of spirit, The very tyranny and rage of his”

and again he will not contend, but begs the Court,

” with all brief and plain conveniency Let ement and the Jew his will”

Even when Bassanio tries to cheer hie yet!

The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones and all, Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood”

Antonio answers:

”I am a tainted wether of the flock, Meetest for death: the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground: and so let me: You cannot better be employed, Bassanio, Than to live still and write ives himself at once to that ”say of despair” which we have found to be the second Richard's way and Shakespeare's way

Just as we noticed, when speaking of Posthuo_ is always praised by the other personages of the drama, so this Antonio is praised preposterously by the chief personages of the play, and in the terms of praise we may see how Shakespeare, even in early manhood, liked to be considered He had no ambition to be counted stalwart, or bold, or resolute like ood hater,” as Dr Johnson confessed hinized, and his intellectual gifts; Haentleentleoes on to tell how Antonio, when parting fro his face, he put his hand behind hi Bassanio's hand; and so they parted”

This Antonio is as tender-hearted and loving as young Arthur And Lorenzo speaks of Antonio to Portia just as Salarino spoke of him:

”_Lor_ But if you knehoentleman you send relief, How dear a lover of my lord your husband, I know you would be prouder of the work Than customary bounty can enforce you”

and finally Bassanio sums Antonio up in enthusiastic superlatives:

”The dearest friend to me, the kindestcourtesies, and one in whom The ancient Roman honour more appears Than any that draws breath in Italy”

It is as a prince of friends and entle to the end of the play with one notable exception to which I shall return in ato find this sadness, this courtesy, this lavish generosity and contempt of money, this love of love and friendshi+p and affection in any man in early manhood; but these qualities were Shakespeare's froe

I say that Antonio was most courteous to all with one notable exception, and that exception was Shylock

It has becoe for the actor to try to turn Shylock into a hero; but that was assuredly not Shakespeare's intention True, he makes Shylock appeal to the common humanity of both Jew and Christian

”I aans, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?

fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”

But if Shakespeare was far in advance of his age in this intellectual appreciation of the brotherhood of man; yet as an artist and thinker and poet he is particularly contemptuous of the usurer and trader in other men's necessities, and therefore, when Antonio h he wants a favour froins by saying in the third scene of the first act:

”Although I neither lend nor borrow By taking nor by giving of excess, Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend, I'll break a custom”

The first phrase here reminds me of Polonius: ”neither a borrower nor a lender be” When Shylock atte the way Jacob cheated Laban, Antonio answers contemptuously ”The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose” Shylock then goes on:

”Signor Antonio, many a time and oft, In the Rialto you have rated me About my moneys and , For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe