The Role of Salarino and Solanio in a Merchant of Venice
The Role of Salarino and Solanio in a Merchant of Venice
The merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s many fine works. One of the things that makes Shakespeare’s plays so entertaining are his characters. He often uses certain characters as comic relief, and some strictly for romance. Salrino and Solanio are Friends of main character Antonio. They play a small but important supporting role in Merchant of Venice. 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...