He is proud of his lineage, complexion as well as strength. Portia As one of Shakespeare's most intelligent and witty heroines, she is famous for her beauty and for her wealth, and she is deeply anguished that she must marry only the man who chooses the single casket of three which contains her portrait. He is also the suitor to Portia who chooses the correct casket and marries her. Salerio and Solanio provide a foil to Antonio and Bassanio. "Merchant of Venice Characters". His friendship with Antonio is sincere but it is based on selfishness. Antonio Temperamental Melancholy. Old Gobbo The father of Launcelot, he has come to Venice to seek news of his son. He proves to be caring and selfless in the trial scene. And then he asks why a man should creep into the jaundice by being peevish. He approaches Portia as a real lover. He learns to his dismay that he is a fool who has been deceived by the outward charms. Lancelot. A young Venetian of noble rank, his friends hold him in high esteem. Gratiano’s visit to Belmont does not prove to be futile. We are indeed informed that he is a soldier, but we do not find him acting in that capacity. a friend of Bassanio and Antonio, he accompanies Bassanio to Belmont and marries Nerissa. Gratiano is a very talkative and witty man. His friends ask him if he is feeling melancholy because all his ships are at sea, facing all sorts of dangers … He is extremely haughty and hates to be one of the multitude. He and nerissa are, indeed, well-matched and make an excellent pair. Solanio is a friend of Antonio’s, who once mercantile concerns are dismissed as a cause of the man’s melancholy leaps on love as the reason why. In this play two characters have a bigger role than one might imagine. He demands a pound of flesh from Antonio, but is forced to convert to Christianity by the end of the play. Bassanio – A True Lover His Bitter, Fierce, and Denunciatory or Abusive Wit. The Merchant of Venice Characters & Descriptions . He follows Antonio when the latter is trying to reason with Shylock, and cannot believe that the bond will be followed through. J. N. Smith. Read the Study Guide for Merchant of Venice…, The Victorious Woman in Measure for Measure and The Merchant of Venice, Father-Daughter Relationships in The Merchant of Venice, Mercy and the Masquerade: Trial and Performance in The Merchant of Venice, Christianity and Judaism in The Merchant of Venice: Imperfect Faith, The Anti-Semitic Question in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, View the lesson plan for Merchant of Venice…, View Wikipedia Entries for Merchant of Venice…. Similarly, while a horse runs very fast in the beginning, it runs very slowly when it is coming back to the starting-point. a major character, a direct contrast to Antonio; clever and crafty; adamant and cruel; a greedy money lender, revengeful; more sinned against than sinning ; Shylock – A Major Character Shylock is a major character in the play. There is, however, a glitch in Shylock obtaining his revenge, and the tables quickly turn. It's clear why Salerio and Solanio are friends—their cynicism and wit make them a perfect pair for each other. SHYLOCK. Besides, his character is distinguished by an intellectual force and vigour which are praiseworthy. The character of Antonio. Indeed, Gratiano’s wit has a large share in the comedy of the play, The Merchant of Venice. Tubal. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Character Sketch of Launcelot Gobbo in Merchant of Venice, Maths Formulas for Class 12 PDF Free Download | 12th Std Maths Formulae, Maths Formulas for Class 10 PDF Download Free | 10th Class Mathematics Formulae, Maths Formulas for Class 9 Free PDF Download | List of 9th Std Maths Formulas, Maths Formulas for Class 6 PDF Free Download | 6th Class Mathematics Formulae, Maths Formulas | Important Mathematics Formulae for Grade 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11 & 12, Maths Formulas for Class 7 PDF Free Download | Important 7th Std Mathematics Formulas, Maths Formulas for Class 8 PDF Free Download | List of 8th Class Maths Formulae, Maths Formulas for Class 11 | Download 11th Grade Maths Formulae List. One or two of his speeches show that he is essentially a discerning man who has observed this world with close attention, and who has become fairly shrewd in judging people and things. Antonio, who is a serious-minded man, does not relish Gratiano’s ceaseless talk which is nothing but chatter for his ears. Launcelot Gobbo He is a "clown," a jester, the young servant of Shylock; he is about to run away because he thinks Shylock is the devil; eventually, he leaves Shylock's service and becomes Bassanio's jester. Shylock Merchant of Venice | Merchant of Venice Characters Shylock. In essence, Shylock has his day in court and Portia supports his case. He repeats the words which Shylock has originally used when Shylock thought that he had won the case against Antonio. Write the diary entry of Shylock the previous day of the trial, Act IV, Scene 1. Indeed, his garrulity is his most striking trait; and this trait would have repelled us if his talk had not been witty. Gratiano He is the light-hearted, talkative friend of Bassanio, who accompanies him to Belmont; there, he falls in love with Portia's confidante, Nerissa. Character Sketch of Shylock in Merchant of Venice. Ans:-Antonio is the central character in Shakespeare’s play, “The Merchant of Venice” at the beginning of the play.We learn that he is a prosperous and kind hurtled Merchant who lives in Venice. Shylock Shylock is an intelligent businessman who believes that, since he is a moneylender, charging interest is his right; to him, it makes good business sense. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# He asks why a man, whose blood is warm within, should sit still and motionless like his grandfather’s statue. There is Bassanio and Antonio, the wealthy business types and Shylock a scrutinized Jew. Salarino He is a friend who believes that Antonio is sad because he is worried about his ships at sea. Bassanio He is a typical Elizabethan lover and nobleman who is careless with his money; hence, he has to borrow from Antonio so that he can woo Portia in style. He does not like the moneylender in the slightest, not least because he is thoroughly anti-Semitic. 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