Question

Here's A Question!!
...
......
How do Salarina and Salerio help in carrying forward the plot of the story in Merchant of Venice?
......
...
No Spams!!​

Answer 1

Answer:

The role of Salarino and Solanio is to be bystanders that provide narration and comic relief.

I call Salarino and Solanio bystanders because throughout the play they are never directly involved in the action. They are always somewhat removed. They only appear in five scenes. They are not present for the climax of the play; the trial scene (act IV.1). Their interaction with Antonio is limited to act I.1. They are not in any way involved in the fight between Shylock and Antonio. They are however, well versed in the drama. They are constantly discussing the events, but not taking an active role in them. They even satirize the drama. Act II.8 is a perfect example. They first discuss Shylock’s daughter stealing his money and jewels. Solanio describes Shylock’s tirade as:

…A passion so confused,

so strange, outrageous and so variable

as the dog Jew did utter in the streets: (act II.8 L 12-15)

They go on to discuss rumors of Antonio’s ship being destroyed, and Antonio and Bassanio parting company. We see Salarino and Solanio are involved in the drama, but not in the action.

Another reason Solarino and Solanio can be seen as bystanders is that while they are friends with Antonio, they are aloof and less devoted to Antonio than Bassanio or Grationo. They certainly don’t speak of Antonio with love that Bassanio does. They do not offer to help pay off Shylock. They are not even present for Antonio’s trail. In act II.9 Solanio mocks Bassanio’s love for Antonio in saying “I think he only loves the world for him.”(ActII.9 L 50). Another example of their aloofness is when Salarino excuses himself from Antonio’s company by saying “I would have stayed till I have made you merry,/ If worthier friends had not prevented me.(act I.1, L60)” Obviously Salarino knows his place in the hierarchy of Antonio’s company, and illustrates it with a bit.

Answer 2

$\huge{\pink {\sf\underline{answer}}}</p><p>$

Salerio is a well-connected merchant of Venice, and a friend of Antonio and Bassanio.

Salerio is a well-connected merchant of Venice, and a friend of Antonio and Bassanio. Owning at least one ship, he is convinced that worry about merchandise is the root of Antonio’s melancholy. With Gratiano, he helps Lorenzo abduct Jessica, but does not know where the two runaways have gone. He is very worried about Antonio’s investments, as he is deeply fond of the man and scared of Shylock, though completely unapologetic about his role in Jessica’s flight. He is sent to Belmont by Antonio to let Bassanio know of his bankruptcy and of Shylock’s insistence on the payment of the pound of flesh, and begs Lorenzo and Jessica to accompany him in this task.