BASSANIO

75So may the outward shows be least themselves.

The world is still deceived with ornament.
In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt
But, being seasoned with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil? In religion,
80What damnèd error, but some sober brow
Will bless it and approve it with a text,
Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?
There is no vice so simple but assumes
Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.
85How many cowards whose hearts are all as false
As stairs of sand wear yet upon their chins
The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars,
Who, inward searched, have livers white as milk,
And these assume but valor’s excrement
90To render them redoubted. Look on beauty,
And you shall see ’tis purchased by the weight,
Which therein works a miracle in nature,
Making them lightest that wear most of it.
So are those crispèd snaky golden locks
95Which maketh such wanton gambols with the wind,
Upon supposèd fairness, often known
To be the dowry of a second head,
The skull that bred them in the sepulcher.
Thus ornament is but the guilèd shore
100To a most dangerous sea, the beauteous scarf
Veiling an Indian beauty—in a word,
The seeming truth which cunning times put on
To entrap the wisest. Therefore then, thou gaudy gold,
Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee.
105Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge
'Tween man and man. But thou, thou meagre lead,
Which rather threaten’st than dost promise aught,
Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence,
And here choose I. Joy be the consequence!
BASSANIO

Q1. What is Bassanio’s attitude towards money and wealth?

Q2. To what extent is Bassanio a flawed character?

Q3. Do you think Bassanio truly loves Portia. Justify with evidence from the text

Q4. What does Bassanio’s choice of the casket reveal about his character?

Q5. How does Bassanio reveal the theme of choices and appearances vs reality in the
above speech

Bassanio is one of the most integral characters in the play Merchant of Venice. The audience
admires him for a number of good qualities such as his honestly, loyalty to his friend Antonio
and his sincerity towards Portia. However, he is a man with a negative side and does reveal
certain traits that make him a flawed character. These traits include extravagance,
indulgence and wastefulness. Moreover, as a character he vividly represents the theme of
appearance versus reality and choices.

To start with, Bassanio is first introduced to the audience as Antonio’s “most noble kinsman.”
He is a reckless spender and extravagant and has squandered all his money foolishly. He has
lived way beyond his means and now is under immense debt, “How much I have disabled my
estate.” One also learns he is heavily dependent on his friend Antonio for all his financial
needs and now that he is financially crippled, he comes back to Antonio for financial support
in order to fund his trip to Belmont to go woo fair Portia who he is madly in love with.
Although he keeps coming back to Antonio for more loan each time he loses more money
due to his extravagant and reckless nature “wherein my time, something too prodigal, Hath
left me gag’d,” he is honest and accepts his mistakes and owns up to his mistakes suggesting
his intentions are not evil and he does not intend harm towards Antonio.

On the other hand, while Bassanio may have some negative traits and a carefree attitude
towards wealth, one cannot help but admire him for his striking traits. When Antonio agrees
to sign Shylock’s fatal bond in “merry sport,” in exchange for three thousand ducats, he
immediately suspects this bond means doom for his friend Antonio and tries to stop Antonio
from signing the bond (evidence) indicating that he is a good judge of character, and a true
and sincere friend to Antonio. He warns Antonio against signing the contract even if that
means him going without the money rather than putting his friend’s life at stake, showing his
unfaltering love and loyalty for Antonio.

A completely different facet of Bassanio surfaces and the audience is left surprised when
Bassanio receives Antonio’s letter while he is with Portia and becomes extremely anxious
and perplexed to learn that Antonio’s life is in grave danger as all his ships have been
wrecked and he has failed to repay the loan to Shylock. He becomes impatient and
expresses his desire to go to Antonio as he feels guilty and knows that it is because of him
that Antonio’s life is in danger. Without wasting time, he postposes his marriage and
decides to leave for Belmont showing his love, loyalty and an unbreakable bond with
Antonio.

How Bassanio reveals the theme of appearance vs reality and choices. What does this
reveal about Bassanio?

Finally, as a lover Bassanio proves to be a true and passionate lover. This can be seen
when he makes the casket choice, he does not base his choice/ selection on the
basis of looks or outward appearances. According to him, outward appearance can
be very misleading compared to the inner reality; wrong doers can make their pleas
with “gracious voice,” and hence he calls gold “hard food for Midas.” He chooses the
lead casket so as not to be fooled by the dull appearance, and receives the beautiful
Portia and all her wealth who, in reality, contrasts with the ugly lead.
Bassanio finally comes to choose the least likely looking casket – the leaden one –
and of course the choice is the right one. The reason Bassanio is able to judge rightly
when others fail is because that his motive is love rather than pride or the desire for
worldly gain, portraying that he truly loves Portia for the person she is and not for
her wealth or looks.

Just for reference

BASSANIO’S SPEECH AND FINAL CHOICE

INCLUDED IN THE THEME OF APPEARANCE AND REALITY AND WEALTH

1. The main point of his speech here explores the discrepancy/ difference between
appearance and reality.
2. He speaks about how outward appearances can be misleading and quite different
from the inner reality.
3. He goes on to elaborate this idea in a number of ways:
a. Wrongdoers can make their pleas with “gracious voice”
b. Religious texts can cover up things that are wrong
c. Vice can be hidden by the appearance of virtue
d. Cowards can pretend to
“wear yet upon their chins
The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars”
e. Beauty can be achieved by artificial means such as wigs and make up
f. Ornaments can appear attractive but they can screen or hide the
unattractive.
4. The logic of his arguments leads him to reject the gold and silver caskets.
5. He calls gold “hard food for Midas”; Midas imagined that gold itself could be
something nutritive or life giving, and he starved to death for his mistake.
6. Bassanio calls silver the “common drudge”
7. Consequently, Bassanio rejects the golden casket; it is a symbol for all "outward
shows"; likewise, he rejects the silver casket, calling it a "common drudge / 'Tween
man and man." Instead, he chooses the casket made of "meagre lead," which is the
least attractive of the caskets — if they are judged by appearance alone.
8. Bassanio finally comes to choose the least likely looking casket – the leaden one –
and of course the choice is the right one.
9. The reason Bassanio is able to judge rightly when others fail is because that his
motive is love rather than pride or the desire for worldly gain.
10. Bassanio opens the casket and in it he finds a picture of Portia. He too is overjoyed.
11. When Bassanio's choice is made, Portia prays in an aside for help in containing her
emotions. She watches eagerly as Bassanio opens the lead casket and finds in it a
picture of Portia, which, though beautifully painted, fails to do her justice, in
Bassanio's opinion. Alongside Portia's portrait, there is a scroll which tells him, "Turn
you where your lady is / And claim her with a loving kiss." Still giddy from his success,
Bassanio does so, and Portia, who only a moment before was mistress of herself and
of all her possessions, now commits herself and all she owns to her new lord. She
also presents him with a ring, a symbol of their union, which he is never to "part
from, lose, or give away." Bassanio promises to wear the ring as long as he lives.