Antonio:Merchant of Venice
...sanio the chance to travel to Belmont and woo Portia, it was Antonio's grace in lending no interest debts that aggravates Shylock to such heights and the problems with the ordeal of the rings was prompted by Antonio as well. He is also an object of much respect to the people of Venice. At the beginning of the play Bassanio tells of how he is poor and indebted to many, especially Antonio, yet Antonio still goes into debt for Bassanio's pigrimage to Belmont which Bassanio could never had hoped to pay for in any other way. The plot of the pound of flesh is also brought upon by Antonio's nature and brings about Shylock's scorn, as he says "He lends out money gifts gratis and brings down/ The rate of usance here with us in Venice./If I catch him once in the hip. /I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him."(1.3.41) And when Bassanio refuses to give up his ring in the fourth act it is Antonio ...