Male Homo-Eroticism in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice

Monday, March 29, 2010

Disapproval, reprisal, and rejection are all valid fears in modern society with the struggle for Gay Marriage rights and Domestic Partnerships. The theme of disapproval can be seen throughout many of Shakespeare's plays and was said the most feared in Renaissance England, but one play in particular that disapproval is the focus can be seen in that of The Merchant of Venice. Claude Summers, in his essay “Homosexuality and Renaissance Literature, or the Anxieties of Anachronism” states that, “Homoeroticism in the Renaissance tend[ed] to be expressed implicitly rather than explicitly...nearly always shadowed by a penumbra of religious and social disapproval” (Summers 6). Summers goes on to say that, “the essential context in which male homoeroticism is textualized in the English Renaissance is a pervasive homophobia tempered by a classical heritage of homoerotic literature and philosophy and a massively homosocial power structure” (Summers 6). Insofar as to say that [to paraphrase Summers (6)] the one salient fact about homosexuality in general as it pertains to English law was that of the punishment ensued by the person(s) to which the accusation was brought against, but within that ignorance, there seemed to be a small albeit, mighty group of persons whom were “tolerable of such acts in art and literature and even so far as the political structure.

In The Merchant of Venice, the homoerotic implications are conveyed rather indirectly, with special attention placed on Antonio's character and his loving friendship with Bassanio. In Renaissance literary discourse, Casey Charles argues, issues surrounding “what we might call homoerotic attraction were quite common in the prose, poetry, and drama of England. By using the term homoerotic, we can discuss a certain type of representation in the Renaissance that straddles a fine line between genital sexual behavior and platonic friendship” (Charles 4). In speaking of Antonio's character a lot of his interaction is versified, that is to say put into verse as both an expressing agent and as a means to understanding his true meaning of love, which in this case would be the love of Bassanio. Furthermore, his seemingly platonic friendship with Bassanio seems to disquiet the assumptions of a strictly platonic friendship insofar as they way in which Antonio speaks to Bassanio, the passion and love in his tone. Some of the passages of dialogue could persuade the reader to think in a different direction. A good example of this seemingly platonic friendship comes late in the trial scene before Antonio's pound of flesh was to be excised from his body by Shylock; Antonio states:

Give me your hand, Bassanio; fare you well
Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you...
Commend me to your honorable wife
tell her the process of Antonio's end/ Say how I loved you
speak me fair in death
and when the tale is told/ bid her be judge
whether Bassanio had not once a love.
(4.1.260-261, 268-272)

The intensity of this scene is so overwhelming it almost brings one to tears; visualizing an embrace and the pouring out of a man's heart and soul, visually clenching his arms within Bassanio's arms as to not allow anyone to separate them . Antonio implores Bassanio to “live still and write mine epitaph” (4.1.118) as if there could be no everlasting declaration or visible proof that Bassanio once had a love than to etch it in stone. Antonio's heart and soul in this speech as well as his true feelings are being expressed in a public forum for everyone to hear and witness. Bassanio's response to Antonio further proves that their friendship could be seen as anything but platonic: “but life itself, my wife, and all the world/ are not with me esteemed above thy life/ I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all/ here to this devil, to deliver you” (4.1.279-282). To give up everything Bassanio has, his wife and in some respect his own life for that of Antonio, is a true testament of his inner feelings and true love for Bassanio.

Steve Patterson in his essay “The Bankruptcy of Homoerotic Amity in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice” suggests that, “Antonio's love is a frustrated sexual desire for Bassanio and, further, his passionate love falls into an early modern tradition of homoerotic friendship or amity.” This could allude to the fact that it is hardly even veiled homoeroticism, insofar as to say that Antonio wishes the world to know how he truly feels about Bassanio before he dies. Patterson clarifies that “amity represented friendship as an identity premised upon the value of same-sex love which codified passionate behaviors between men” (Patterson 3). In the case of Bassanio and Antonio the idea of “giving up one's body” (Patterson 13) as well as all other earthly ties, seems to be indicative of the premise behind amity and “other tales of romance” (Patterson 13) from the English Renaissance. Patterson comments that “Antonio seems to believe that there must be blocking agents to this love's consummation—[that being] Bassanio's desire for a wife” (Patterson 14). In the heart of Antonio, it seems Bassanio is all he wants, above all other earthly ties, and seeing Bassanio take off to be with Portia in Belmont is heart wrenching to the reader, for one gets a true sense of anguish and melancholy emanating from Antonio's verse. The trial scene quoted from above, helps allude the reader to the fact that this is something Antonio has wanted and yearned for, for some time and whereby allowing himself to make continuous references to his love for Bassanio further intensifies the notion that there is something blocking their love.

Antonio sends Bassanio a summons to be present at his trial; it could be inferred from this request that Antonio's intention could be to express his love for Bassanio not only in public and without feeling as though he has any reason to be sorry for feeling that way. Antonio writes, “ Sweet Bassanio/ all debts are cleared between you and I/ if I might but see you at my death/ notwithstanding, use your pleasure./if not your love do not persuade you to come/ let not my letter.” (3.2.314-19) The magic of this verse is reminiscent of Shakespeare's Sonnet 20 where the poet is telling the young man the way it has to be, not necessarily the way the poet wishes things could turn out. The couplet says it all: “but since she pricked thee out for women's pleasure/ mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasures” (lines 13-14). It can be hard to go back and forth between the sonnet and the play to find similarities however, Charles suggest that, “The beloved is first created 'for' or 'as' a woman (though the pun here on 'for' meaning "for the purpose of is equally apt)”, but then as a result of Nature's erotic attraction s/he is furnished with an additional 'thing! ” (Charles 12). Here the poet's declaration, much like that of Antonio, is that a woman gets to use you for heterosexual standards such as procreation and instant gratification , but I get your true love for eternity being that of homoerotic love, not necessarily genital love or the need for intercourse with his beloved, just the sheer companionship and love suffices whereas in a heterosexual instance it is purely for procreation.

Patterson explains that Antonio and Bassanio's “longtime association has been characterized by Bassanio's indebtedness to Antonio, not by mutual pledges of munificence which friends typically made in the most public and histrionic way” (Patterson 8). It is Antonio's refusal to charge interest on the loan he gives Bassanio that allows interpretations to be made as to the intentions of Antonio. It was not a Christian value to refuse to charge interest, however it does infer as Patterson comments that “amity's now-impractical ethic of a generosity that assumes equality and reciprocity between men” (Patterson 8). Antonio seems to exhibit a lot of generosity when it comes to Bassanio, he does it to make him [Bassanio] happy and thereby almost perpetuating a false sense of requited love from Bassanio in return, no matter how expensive or passionate. Although Bassanio does say, “to you Antonio/ I owe the most in money and in love” (1.1.130-131). It would seem as though Bassanio does not see it that way, he seems only interested in expediting a solution to his financial binds, and the extent of Bassanio and Antonio's interactions only last until Bassanio's needs are met, disregarding any commiseration for Antonio.

In conclusion, it could be said that the emerging modern queer texts and literature about the coming out process, as well as how to live one's life as either a gay or lesbian individual help to dispel the myth about homosexuality in general and thereby allowing for the homophobic harshness to be lessened; however, the imminent threat of rejection by society is still a valid and direct fear. In The Merchant of Venice, Antonio's gesture provides [to paraphrase Patterson] the sense of competition between amorous friend and that of romantic lovers which the play seems to excite. Antonio's bond with Bassanio will forever run deep if not in the pledges of passionate devotion then in “his surety” (5.1.254) in the marriage bargain Antonio was never dismissed from the couples presence, rather he was invited into the marriage of Bassanio and Portia as the guarantor of Bassanio's loans.