Question

discuss antonios melancholy in the opening scenes of the merchant of venice and the dramatic purpose which it serves in the play as a whole
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Answer 1

Answer:

This is the answer of your question!!

Answer 2

Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice" opens with Antonio feeling melancholic

and Salanio and Salarino trying to console him. Antonio is completely clueless and does not know why he is so sad. Both Salanio and Salarino come up with possible reasons for his sadness, but Antonio denies all of them. Even at the end of the scene, Antonio remains confused about his melancholic state of mind, but the scene serves many purposes.

(Do not write your answer in points. The points are only for easy understanding. Write each point in a paragraph form.)

1. Introduces the audience to Antonio- Antonio, Salanio and Salarino through their conversation, introduce Antonio (who is a major character) to the audience. It also tells the audience who his friends are and who Antonio is closest to. Antonio is closest to Bassanio, and becomes indebted to Shylock because of his friendship with Bassanio.
2. Tells us about Antonio's profession- Salanio and Salarino feel that Antonio's worries could be related to his 'merchandise', which is loaded on big ships that are the 'signiors and rich burghers' at sea, while the other ships are small and petty. Also, Antonio deals in expensive items, like silk and spices. Therefore, Antonio is a rich merchant involved in foreign trade.
3. Sheds light on Antonio's character and finances- Antonio disagrees with the two men and tells them that he has not invested everything in one ship. Also, his livelihood does not depend exclusively on the money that he will earn this year. This tells us that Antonio is not a risk taker. He is smart and practical. This information is important because later he takes a huge risk by signing the pact with Shylock.
4. Hints at trouble coming Antonio's way later in the play- In Shakespearean drama, imagery plays a very important role. Here too, unpleasant images of a ship stuck in sand, 'dangerous rocks' around the 'gentle' ship and 'roaring waters' indicate stormy times ahead for Antonio. Similarly, his melancholy is a kind of omen for the bad things that are about to happen in the play.

What seems like a simple conversation around Antonio's sadness is actually the playwright's way of conveying a wealth of information to the readers.

More information on 'The Merchant of Venice':

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