Bassanio Character Analysis in The Merchant of Venice

A nobleman from Venice, who is a kinsman, close friend, and longtime debtor of the merchant, Antonio. Because he wants to woo the noble Portia, but cannot himself afford to do so, Bassanio borrows 3000 ducats from Shylock, with Antonio as his guarantor. His status as Portia's suitor and, later, her husband, makes Bassanio the romantic hero of the play. However, his character is deeply flawed. At best clueless, and at worst consciously selfish and manipulative, he always manages to avoid earning his own way: first, he exploits the generosity of his friend Antonio, and then he freely passes on the money and gifts that Portia gives him.

Bassanio Quotes in The Merchant of Venice

The The Merchant of Venice quotes below are all either spoken by Bassanio or refer to Bassanio. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Simon & Schuster edition of The Merchant of Venice published in 2009.

In my school-days, when I had lost one shaft,
I shot his fellow of the selfsame flight
The selfsame way, with more advised watch,
To find the other forth; and by adventuring both,
I oft found both.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 1.1.140-144

Explanation and Analysis:

I dote on his very absence.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 1.2.300

Explanation and Analysis:

I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 1.3.35-38

Explanation and Analysis:

If he lose, he makes a swan-like end,
Fading in music.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 3.2.46-47

Explanation and Analysis:

There is no vice so simple but assumes
Some mark of virtue in his outward parts.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 3.2.83-84

Explanation and Analysis:

Bassanio Character Timeline in The Merchant of Venice

The timeline below shows where the character Bassanio appears in The Merchant of Venice. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Bassanio, a relative and close friend of Antonio's, enters with his friends Lorenzo and Gratiano. After... (full context)

Lorenzo and Gratiano announce that they must depart, but will see Bassanio again at dinner. Before leaving, though, Lorenzo notes that Antonio looks unwell. Antonio responds that,... (full context)

Once alone, Bassanio apologizes for Gratiano's insensitivity and reveals why he's come to see Antonio. He is in... (full context)

...for his friend and is happy to place both his "purse" and his "person" at Bassanio's disposal. Though Antonio has no cash available at the moment because he's invested everything in... (full context)

Nerissa asks Portia whether she remembers a Venetian man who once came—Bassanio. Portia does, fondly. Just then, a servant enters. He informs Portia that the suitors who... (full context)

Back in Venice, Bassanio is trying to convince Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to lend him 3,000 ducats for three... (full context)

Shylock then asks whether he can speak with Antonio himself. Bassanio invites Shylock to dine with them both that night, but Shylock declines. Although he will... (full context)

...will break his personal principle in order to help his friend. Shylock agrees to lend Bassanio the money. (full context)

Antonio agrees, despite Bassanio's nervousness about binding his friend to such a potentially dangerous contract. Talking to himself, Shylock... (full context)

At this moment, Bassanio arrives with Lorenzo and several followers. Launcelot and Gobbo seize the opportunity and beg Bassanio... (full context)

...former master, Shylock's, house, to invite Shylock to dinner on behalf of his new master, Bassanio, Lorenzo asks Launcelot to secretly bring Jessica the message that Lorenzo will not fail her.... (full context)

...head out into the street, Antonio intercepts them. He scolds Gratiano for being late to Bassanio's dinner, and says that Bassanio is preparing to leave on a boat for Belmont right... (full context)

On the street in Venice, Salerio and Solanio gossip about Jessica and Lorenzo's elopement and Bassanio's departure for Belmont to woo Portia. They laugh about Shylock's desperate search for Jessica. Upon... (full context)

Solanio says of Antonio, "a kinder gentleman treads not the earth." He adds that when Bassanio departed for Belmont, he overheard Antonio tell Bassanio not to worry about the money he... (full context)

In Belmont, Portia begs Bassanio to delay before making his choice among the caskets. If he chooses incorrectly, she will... (full context)

Portia instructs that music should be played so that, if Bassanio chooses incorrectly, he will at least make a "swan like end." The song commences: "Tell... (full context)

Bassanio opens the lead casket. Inside, he finds a painting of Portia and a poem praising... (full context)

Nerissa and Gratiano, who have been watching, express their joy. Gratiano, seizing the moment, asks Bassanio for permission to marry, confessing that he has already fallen in love with Nerissa. Nerissa... (full context)

Lorenzo and Jessica enter with Salerio. Bassanio and Portia welcome them. Salerio explains that he is carrying a letter from Antonio for... (full context)

Bassanio gets increasingly upset as he reads the letter. He tells Portia about the money he... (full context)

Portia asks Bassanio whether Antonio is a dear friend. When Bassanio affirms that he is, Portia offers to... (full context)

Bassanio reads the text aloud. In it, Antonio confesses to that there is no chance that... (full context)

...to cut a pound of flesh from him. Then, he urges the jailer on. If Bassanio comes to see him pay his debt, Antonio says, he does not care whether he... (full context)

Back at Belmont, after Bassanio's hasty departure, Lorenzo and Portia are chatting. Lorenzo reassures Portia that if she knew what... (full context)

Bassanio, who is in the gathered crowd, tries to argue with Shylock. But Antonio interrupts, telling... (full context)

...that a messenger has come bearing letters from Bellario, and goes to get him. Privately, Bassanio urges Antonio to try to keep his spirits up, but Antonio responds that he is... (full context)

Portia asks if Antonio has the money to repay Shylock. Bassanio responds that he has offered up to ten times the sum of money owed, but... (full context)

Portia asks Antonio for any last words. Antonio tells Bassanio not to grieve, to send his best wishes to Portia, and to speak well of... (full context)

Shylock, stunned, quickly backtracks, and decides to take Bassanio's prior offer of 9000 ducats. Bassanio is ready to accept, but Portia stops him. She... (full context)

...dinner. She declines on the grounds that she must get back to Padua. Antonio and Bassanio also thank Portia. Bassanio tries give Portia the 3000 ducats he'd brought to pay off... (full context)

After Portia and Nerissa exit, Antonio tells Bassanio that he should value Balthazar's efforts to save Antonio's life more than his wife's orders,... (full context)

Gratiano enters, carrying the ring from Bassanio. He tells Portia that Bassanio has sent the ring and asks him to join them... (full context)

...that Portia will be back before daybreak from the monastery. He asks to know whether Bassanio has returned yet. Lorenzo says that they have received no word for him. Launcelot enters,... (full context)

...the music dies down, Lorenzo recognizes Portia's voice and welcomes her home. She asks whether Bassanio and Gratiano have yet returned. Lorenzo replies that they have not, but that a messenger... (full context)

At that moment, Bassanio, Antonio, and Gratiano enter. Portia welcomes Bassanio home; Bassanio introduces Antonio and asks her to... (full context)

...with it, and she is sure he never would. Gratiano blurts out in protest that Bassanio did give his ring away, to a judge who had earned it, and asked for... (full context)

Bassanio admits it is true. Portia pretends to be furious. She swears that she will never... (full context)

...ring, which she pretends is a different ring, and tells him to give it to Bassanio and to tell Bassanio not to lose it. When he sees the ring, Bassanio is... (full context)