Who is the tragic hero in Merchant of Venice?

Shylock
As a tragedy, The Merchant of Venice focuses on the collapse of a Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who exits the stage a wrecked man and is unavoidable at the conclusion of the play to become a Christian and to surrender his assets. In this play, Shylock is the tragic hero because he has a tragic flaw.

What is Antonio’s role in The Merchant of Venice?

Antonio is the merchant of the title and is the first character we meet in this play. He has invested all his money in cargo that is currently on numerous ships. When his best friend Bassanio asks for a loan of 3000 ducats, he is unable to offer cash, but agrees to act as a bond.

How is Antonio presented in Merchant of Venice?

Although the plot turns on Antonio’s predicament, his character is not sharply drawn. He is a rich man, and a comfortable man, and a popular man, but still he suffers from an inner sadness. Therefore, Shakespeare makes Antonio a quiet, dignified figure.

Why is Antonio not the hero in The Merchant of Venice?

A hero is compelling. In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Antonio is honest, generous, and a good friend willing to die for Bassanio, but aside from his anti-Semitism and his hatred for Shylock, he’s an otherwise nondescript character. Antonio doesn’t make things happen.

Is The Merchant of Venice a tragedy or comedy?

The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, does not fit the conventional definitions of a tragedy or a comedy. It is categorized as a comedy, although one of the two distinct plotlines is a tragedy.

What is Shylock’s tragic flaw?

Shylock’s tragic flaw could be his vengeful spirit that refuses to renegotiate the terms of Antonio’s bond. His flaw could be his stubbornness to love his daughter properly; or his reciprocal prejudice against Christians; or all of these vices combined which make Shylock bitter, undiplomatic and hateful.

What happens to Antonio at the end of The Merchant of Venice?

They are joined, unexpectedly, by Lorenzo and Jessica. The celebration, however, is cut short by the news that Antonio has indeed lost his ships, and that he has forfeited his bond to Shylock. Bassanio and Gratiano immediately travel to Venice to try and save Antonio’s life.

What happened to Antonio’s ships in Merchant of Venice?

At Venice, Antonio’s ships are reported lost at sea, so the merchant cannot repay the bond. Shylock has become more determined to exact revenge from Christians because his daughter Jessica eloped with the Christian Lorenzo and converted.

How does Antonio describe his sadness?

What does Antonio says about his sadness? (i) Antonio and his friends are in a street in Venice. Antonio says that his sadness makes him depressed and dull. He further says that he is yet to learn about the origin and nature of his sadness.

What reason does Antonio give for being sad in the opening scene of the play?

What reason does Antonio give for being sad in the opening scene of the play? He stands to lose a fortune in his present business ventures. He owes a fantastic sum of money to Shylock.

Who is the hero of the play Shylock or Antonio?

Portia is the hero of the The Merchant of Venice. Men create or get themselves into predicaments, but Portia steers them through them successfully. Her greatest triumph comes when she disguises herself as a male lawyer and is able to save Antonio’s life.

How can Merchant of Venice be called as a tragic comedy?

The play is classed as one of the 16 comedy plays but it is also a ‘problem’ play due to the tragic elements woven throughout the intricate plot. The play concludes with a harmonious ending but all through the plot, reoccurring themes of sadness and tragedy are included.

How would you describe Antonio in Act 1 Scene 1?

Although the play’s title refers to him, Antonio is a rather lackluster character. He emerges in Act I, scene i as a hopeless depressive, someone who cannot name the source of his melancholy and who, throughout the course of the play, devolves into a self-pitying lump, unable to muster the energy required to defend himself against execution.

Is Antonio in love with Bassanio?

Antonio never names the cause of his melancholy, but the evidence seems to point to his being in love, despite his denial of this idea in Act I, scene i. The most likely object of his affection is Bassanio, who takes full advantage of the merchant’s boundless feelings for him.

What is the setting of The Merchant of Venice?

Although the free market’s first green shoots were sprouting in England, The Merchant of Venice is set in Venice instead, and for an obvious reason. The Italian city-states, including Venice, featured the most developed of Europe’s mercantile city centers.

What is the relationship between Antonio Antonio Shylock and Portia?

The interactions between Antonio, Shylock, and Portia–that is, between merchant, usurer, and landlord–play out the new set of economic interactions that accompanied the birth of capitalism.