Different Types of Love In Merchant of Venice

   

                                           

   Love, like god, is there in many different forms. Love is the basis of the whole play of ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ Shakespeare demonstrates all forms, but only one has to be the most prominent of all in the play. The different types of love shown in the play is love in friendship, romantic love, love between father and child, and the love of possession of money.

   Let’s take a look at the different types of love, and see which of them is the strongest. The love between father and child is very weak in this play, and shows itself only once, at a poor condition. When Jessica runs away, Shylock barely emphasizes his sorrow of his loss of his daughter. He mainly screams about the ducats that have been stolen from him by his own daughter. This is where the love of possession of money comes in. Money love is the most prominent with Shylock, as he always charges with interest, unlike Antonio. While Bassanio isn’t that obsessed with money, he has to borrow 3 thousand ducats from Shylock, and put his friend’s life at risk. Of course, it wasn’t his suggestion for it to happen.

   The whole reason Bassanio even borrows the money is so that he can go to Belmont, and take his hand in marriage with Portia, a lady he loves. He has to choose the right casket to marry Portia, and if he doesn’t, he has to swear to never marry again. Risking so much to win Portia’s love shows us that romantic love so far is prominent. It is emotional when he chooses the right casket, as if it was destiny to. As per Portia, Bassanio is the only man to choose a casket that she had taken a liking for. So in the end, they get married. Another relationship, which is quite sudden, is that of Nerissa’s and Gratiano’s. They suddenly announce that they are getting married, without any warning. They barely knew each other, much less had time to. However, they seemed very happy that they were getting married. The third and final relationship that lies in the category of romance would be that of Jessica’s and Lorenzo’s. Jessica, being a runaway, has some tension in her relationship. It was like a runaway love. However, the plan for their marriage wasn’t as sudden as Nerissa’s and Lorenzo’s marriage. There is also tension between the relationship of Portia and Bassanio, and Nerissa and Gratiano. Portia yells at Bassanio for giving away the ring, as does Nerissa to Gratiano. Later on, both couples are kind with each other yet again.

   The love in friendship is shown to be the most prominent, on behalf of my opinion, as nearly all of the events that take place in the play are based on friendship. One great act of friendship is Antonio sacrificing his life for Bassanio, so that Bassanio could borrow 3 thousand ducats form Shylock, and visit Portia. Without this act of friendship, there would be two relations less in the play. Also, Portia would probably end up with some man she doesn’t like. Because of this same act borrowing money, we get to see Shylock’s obsession with money. Even Portia and Nerissa risk a lot by dressing up as men to attend and defend Antonio’s trial.

   So basically, I think that the love in friendship is the most prominent in the play, as most of the events in the play are based on acts of friendship. The weakest form of love is that between father and child (Shylock and Jessica). This is because when Jessica runs away, Shylock mainly wants her back to retrieve the ducats that were stolen from him. So this is why I think that love in the form of friendship is the most prominent in the play ‘The Merchant of Venice.’