Antonio is a rich Venetian merchant. He is the merchant of the title. Like all men he has strengths and weaknesses, good and bad aspects. It is known that he is a merchant because Salanio and Salerio tell us about his fortunes at sea which are in his ships.

Antonio has a childhood friend by the name of Bassanio. This is known because when we first meet Bassanio, he tells us about his schooldays when he shoots an arrow, and when it gets lost, he shoots another in the same way to recover the first. Also Bassanio is known as Antonio's "noble kinsman."

He has a weakness which is his melancholy and pessimestic personality. This is proven when we first meet Antonio in Act 1 Scene 1: "In sooth I know not why I am so sad,... Ia m still to learn." Also, when Antonio is asked for reasons of...