#3 For the Love of Money

“Do all men kill the things they do not love?” IV.I.66

In Merchant of Venice, the desire for materialism (is back again!) presents itself entangled among other desires, but this time it’s slightly more complicated. The play starts off with longing, through Antonio’s unhappiness: “In sooth know not why I am so sad,” but “my merchandise makes me not sad. I.I. 45.” Antonio has wealth (material), but is lacking something he desires on another level – love (emotional). His self-pity and depressive characteristics are put aside when Bassanio, in desperate need of money, comes to him for a loan. Antonio has an ambiguous connection with Bassanio that is so strong he is willing to risk a pound of his own flesh for him to retrieve the money, showing the value the character sets on relationships. But! Antonio will only loan Bassanio money if he pursues it for the Love for Portia, not just for her family wealth. In this way, Antonio’s character is representing emotional over superficial possessions.

Thickening the plot, Antonio is anti-Semitic, conflicting drastically with the Jewish Shylock that raises desire differences within and between religions. The play goes further to reveal a stereotype of the Christian characters (Antonio) valuing relationships through love and reoccurring theme of marriage, while the Jewish (Shylock) valuing material wealth. Antonio’s hassling of Shylock over his Judaism inflicts in Shylock a deep burning desire beyond wealth-- revenge. Here we see Shakespeare presenting desires in their ‘negative’ connotation. Despite risk of his own life, Antonio is willing to stick by the law or ‘justice’ of his deal with Shylock to give away a pound of his flesh. When Antonio is offered his share of the money in the end, his only wish is that Shylock converts to Christianity and that his will entitles Lorenzo and Jessica to his estate. This, religion and relationships, to him is more important than material wealth. Shylock constantly mentions mistreatment because of his religion – revenge particularly in the dialogue about Jews being humans.

Love and/or marriage is presented in The Merchant of Venice through the two women, Portia and Jessica, who each end up happily with their men. But both have placed such a high value upon their desire for the materialistic symbolism of a ring to signify their love. This desire complicates the pure love they have into something more societal influenced and tangible. These societal expectations versus one’s individual desires will be looked at more in depth in Romeo & Juliet. Love is beginning to appear as a social construct beyond just a ‘pure’ romantic relationship, even though we are still left with the cliché ‘happy ending’. The women’s desire for this material ring is so strong they use a manipulative advantage to trick Bassanio and Gratiano into breaking their promise and surrendering their rings out of some weird control static.: “I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring, Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.”

The longing for love is very prominent throughout the story, furthermore the forbidden love story between Lorenzo and Jessica, despite her marriage boundaries (casket game) set by Shylock they are determined to make the love for each other work. In the end, Antonio’s ships turn out to be ok and his fortune secured, but his emotional discontent prevails.