[Antonio] Merchant of venice question PLZ?

Question:Do you think Antonio was sort of a mysterious character in the play? Why?

I just want to hear your opinion...thnx in advance

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Do you think Antonio was sort of a mysterious character in the play? Why?

I just want to hear your opinion...thnx in advance

"Mysterious"? No, I wouldn't say so. We know every bit as much about him as we do about any of the other principals.

It is often speculated that Antonio's relationship with Bassanio has homosexual implications, and perhaps that's where your question is headed. Personally, I don't think this is an essential component of the relationship at all. If you look closely, you'll see that the Antonio/Bassanio relationship is almost identical to the Don Pedro/Claudio relationship in "Much Ado About Nothing." In both instances, the older men (Antonio and Don Pedro) HELP the younger men (Bassanio and Claudio) the the young women of their dreams, even though they know that, once the young guys are married, they won't have nearly as much time to hang out with the boys anymore.

They're both selfless and self-sacrificing in that way.

I've always felt that the key to "The Merchant of Venice" is to appreciate the fact that, at the end of the play, Antonio is pretty much the "odd man out." He has risked EVERYTHING for Bassanio's sake, and he was about five seconds away from having his heart sliced out by Shylock before Portia saved the day. And yet, at the end of the play, the two young married couples (Bassanio/Portia and Gratiano/Nerissa) are heading off the consummate their relationships, while Antonio is left...pretty much all by himself.

I played the role once, and I convinced the director to let me end the play along onstage, repeating the same line with which I began the play: "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad."