Introduction:
“The Marchant of Venice” (1623) is a romantic tragi-comedy by William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616). The are many characters in this play among them Bassanio is the most influential character. He plays a vital role in the development of the drama.
A short note on Bassanio
Bassanio is the best friend of Antonio. From the very outset of the story, Bassanio expresses his deep feeling and passion for Portia. He is wasteful and wasted all of his money in order to be a respectable man. To get back his fortune, he is decided to marry Portia, a wealthy, intelligent heiress of Belmont. But the problem was that Porta’s father performed a marriage ceremony for his daughter. He decided that one of the three boxes would contain a picture of a Portia and that he would give marry his daughter to the person who would find it for the first time. Portia, as the daughter of a rich man in Belmont, has to follow her father’s three-casket strategy at her wedding. But the casket contest conditioned that if one failed the contest, he could never marry in his life. So only three out of all the competitors take up this challenge. They are; The Prince of Morocco, the Prince of Arragon, and Bassanio. The caskets were of gold, silver, and lead, and one container contained a picture of Portia. The Prince of Morocco thinks that a jewel-like Portia’s picture cannot be kept in a casket worse than gold. So, he chooses the pot of gold and he fails the competition. The second chooser, the Prince of Arragon, chose the silver casket containing a blinking idiot he also failed. After the Prince of Arragon, Bassanio, the man at the heart of Portia comes to choose the casket. He chose the lead casket where the picture of Portia was contained and win the contest. At his success, both Portia and Bassanio felt boundless joy.
Besides we see Bosnia as a true friend in the trial scene. when as the guarantor of Bassanio’s 3000 ducats of loan Antonio has been arrested in the court of Venice. Bassanio comes to know it from the message of Salerio. He goes there with 6000 ducats from Portia to save his life of Antonio. In the court, Bassanio offers Shylock twice even ten times his loan but he does not accept that money. He wants flesh to harm Antonio. Finally, Shylock’s excess wanting brings havoc for himself with his own hand. At last, Bassanio is able to save Antonio’s life with the help of Portia, disguised in Balthazar. here we can see Bossanios is a wasteful person, a passionate lover, and a true friend.
Conclusion:
Finally, we can say that he is a true friend, a true lover who can do everything for his beloved and friend.
