Question

why does antonio grant the loan

Answer 1

of noble rank, wishes to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress
to subsidise his expenditures as a suitor. Bassanio approaches his friend
, a wealthy merchant of Venice who has previously and repeatedly bailed him out. Antonio agrees, but since he is cash-poor – his ships and merchandise are busy at sea to
– he promises to cover a bond if Bassanio can find a lender, so Bassanio turns to the Jewish moneylender Shylock and names Antonio as the loan's guarantor.