Bassanio’s Soliloquy Before the Three Caskets
In this emendation, Bassanio, though not fitting the mold of a classic hero, rises to the occasion and is made to act the part. A classic hero is crowned with a pure heart disposed to giving (which is the nature and direction of love) rather than a self-serving approach based on getting or gaining (for oneself). Moreover, a hero's love is tempered with wisdom. It is this balance between wisdom and pure-hearted love which guides the hero (just as the balance between mercy and justice guides the true dispensation of the law). Bassanio, we could say, is pure-hearted but lacks the wisdom, selflessness, and fortitude of a true hero—and yet it is these qualities that he is made to embrace in this moment of heroism. In the original soliloquy Bassanio dwells on negative images (especially those relating to deceit), perhaps subconsciously addressing his own deception (in terms of the rich, outer show he was putting on); his choice is made without any real show of reason; and, he never mentions his affection for Portia or any of her virtuous qualities. In this emended soliloquy Bassanio is not prone to negative thoughts nor guided to make his choice by a simple and unsupported feeling but is filled with the wisdom and the guidance of a pure heart—which is the foundation of all attainments.
We see that Portia is ‘all law’ in the following of her father’s edict whereas Bassanio (with the help of the good-meaning Nerissa) is more inclined to follow the spirit of the law rather than its letter. We see this same theme mentioned when Bassanio makes his plea to the Duke on behalf of Antonio: ‘To do a great right, do a little wrong.’ [4.1.213] Carefree Bassanio is not bound or constrained by the literalness of the terms of the lottery as conceived by Portia’s father, which was designed to find her a man whom she would truly love; he and Nerissa adhere to the spirit (or intention) of the lottery and not its literal terms.
As argued in another essay ("The Lottery") Bassanio and Nerissa came to an agreement, with respect to the lottery, even before Bassanio borrowed the money from Antonio and set sail for Belmont. The agreement made between Bassanio and Nerissa (in the "secret pilgrimage" mentioned in 1.1) was this: if Portia fell in love with him (Bassanio) then she (Nerissa) would help Bassanio with the lottery. (And bear in mind that Nerissa's betrothal to Gratziano was also based upon Bassanio's success).
Though Bassanio is good-natured he is certainly not exceptional nor the stuff one would find in a true hero. He has neither the daring nor the means to solve the casket riddle by his own wit or intuition—and the only way he could "questionless be fortunate" and chose the right casket would be if he was assured of receiving some kind of help. (What he was questionless about, then, was that he could get Portia to fall in love with him, not that he could solve the riddle involved with the lottery).
Thus suspending all judgment about Bassanio, we find our would-be, and hoped-for, hero standing before the three caskets, deliberating on his choice:
Original Version [Rectified]
--Bassanio [to the gold casket]
So may the outward shows be least themselves
The world is e’er° deceived by ornament:° {still} // appearance / outer show
In law, a plea that’s false and corrupt,
Yet made with a gracious and seasoned voice,
Obscures the show° of evil. In religion, / sum / heart
What damnèd° act° does not become a blessing, / damning // {error}
When some sober brow° will approve it with text, / learnèd man / dry scholar
Hiding° gross error with fair ornament? / Gilding
How many cowards, whose hearts would soon crumble
Like stairs° of sand, do wear upon their chin {stayers} / walls
The beards of Hercules and frowning° Mars, / fearless
Who, inward searched,° have livers as white as milk? / searched within
These are no more than feeble shows of valor / plumage / visage / display
To render them so dreadful.° Look on beauty {redoubted}/ dreaded / so feared
And you shall see ‘tis purchased by the weight,
This cream, when plied upon the face works wonders
Making them fairest° who wear most of it. >> prettiest, with the lightest skin
So are those crispèd, flowing, golden locks,
Which make such wanton gambols with the wind,
But such pretense of beauty, as we know,
Comes from a wig; hair from another’s head,
The skull of which now lies in some lost grave.
Thus, outer show is but the guilèd° shore / tempting / charming
To a most dangerous° sea; the beauteous scarf / threatening / imperiled
Veiling a queen’s wretched face; in a word:
The seeming truth which cunning times put on
To trap the wise. Therefore, thou gaudy gold,
You’re as worthless to me as the hard° food / golden
That greedy Midas could not hope to° eat. / even
I’ll have none of thee.
[to the silver casket]
Nor of thee silver;
You are° none but the stuff of common coin, / Which is
Passed between the drudging fingers of men.
But thou, meager lead, which rather threatens
Than give any promise or hope of gain;
Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence.° / regal lies
And here I choose. May heaven be my prize!° / May joy be the result
Emended Version
Bassanio:
So may the least deserved be most rewarded;
The world is e’er deceived° by outer show. / misled
What says the gold?—‘ . . . shall gain what (many) men desire.’
I do not know what many men desire,
Nor what they hope to gain by such desire--
(I only know what my heart yearns to give.)
O gold, you shine° but do not satisfy, / boast / tout / grant
Like golden food which Midas cannot eat.
Therefore, gaudy gold, I’ll have none of thee.
And what of silver?—‘. . . shall get (as much) as he deserves.’
Yet how does ‘getting’° mingle with true love? / Get? How can getting
‘Tis not of love we speak, nay, but of business.
O silver, thou pale promise appeals
Only to those who have nothing to give,
To greedy hands that grab at passing coins.° / seek only to get
And lead?—‘. . . must give and hazard all he has.’
O lead, thou threatens yet offers no gain.
Yet how° can we speak of ‘giving’ or ‘hazard’ / Yet what is there of giving and or hazard?
To one already lost in love’s abyss?° / To one who’s heart is lost in love’s abyss?
(And what of gain for one whose heart is full?) / To one who's lost everything to love
One sight of her beauty fills me til dawn;
One glimpse of her glory and I'm complete;
My heart cares not for gain—as bid by gold
Neither° to get—as promiséd by silver° / And not // the promise shown by silver
But e're° to give, as required by lead.° / Only / demanded / mandated
Here, here chose I—when all is done and said
A heart that giveth all can ne’er be misled. / He who give all can never be misled
>> See pages 104-108 in the Rectified Version of The Merchant of Venice (download) for commentary and notes on Bassanio's soliloquy.