1. I heard this song and my sweet Bassanio came as an apparition summoned to my mind. When Bassanio is near, my breath becomes unnecessary, unnoticeable. My life grew meaning upon his entry. My life as a merchant now with a purpose to satiate his treasured needs. All I need in return is his love and as this song so perfectly says, I crave his symphony, his melodic voice which draws me in. Perhaps I am in too deep, the value of my own life far below the value I give any of his desires. If it meant being stuck at the bottom of the ocean for him, then I don’t mind staying down here.
Being a merchant, often traveling at sea, the water and ocean aspect of this song would draw Anontio in. He would appreciate the familiarity of it accompanying his feelings of sorrow, “In sooth I know not why I am so sad”. Not as flamboyant as Bassanio, Antonio may find solace and comfort in familiarity. The tone of In Too Deep satiates the sadness Antonio feels. It gives him acceptance and perhaps a way to tell himself, this is why I’m sad, because I am listening to a sad song. Then he can put off the acknowledgement of its real cause. A cause tied to Bassanio, and all Antonio’s feelings for him. Thus making this song even more appealing to Antonio because he relates to being in too deep with someone, and being so utterly drawn into them that you can no longer breathe.
2. Perhaps I chose this song out of my own projection onto Antonio, but I can not justify that someone could be in his situation and not feel some need to remove themselves from it. To run away. He will never be able to marry the man he loves and now this man is marrying another, with Antonio’s help. Antonio, who risked his life in aid of this marriage. He chose to help but I want to see a part of him harbor negative feelings towards these events.
3. My Bassanio has become a married man. A married man, bound to one heart yet owner of two. Mine unbound but forever connected to his. You speak to me of your love, Bassanio, but I ask of you, promise you won’t forget me. When your child rests in your arms, think of me. I know I am being selfish but this sadness I feel, lifts when you are near. My days get better when you’re here.
As a man in love, Antonio’s thoughts would logically go often to Bassanio, thus he can not get him out of his head as this song relates. Antonio introduces us to the play by revealing his sadness, yet in times of speaking to Bassanio his interactions seem happier, perhaps his days better.
4. My tongue is like a knife, cut into Shylock and now I will be made to pay. Perhaps it is my dues owed by my greed of lust, love for Bassanio. Try as I might, thoughts of ill will arise towards his new wife. My mind tells me she is an evil woman with no just cause other than her theft of my beloved. The illogical part of me holds this as enough.
This song choice follows the same line or reasoning as song 2, that is, my own greed of projection. Antonio does not know Portia personally so it would be easy for him to think ill of her purely for her being the woman married to the man he loves. The tone of the song also suits his subdued mood throughout the play. If he were born now, people would call him emo.
5. I chose this song in part for the religious humor involved. Religion has a strong role in The Merchant of Venice, thus a song titled pray seemed fitting. As I stated in the last analysis, Antonio would be called emo if he were to live in this age. This song emphasizes this trait I see in him. It also speaks to his sadness mentioned in the beginning of the play. We aren’t told directly by Antonio later in the play that he is still sad but we see a different manifestation of this. He is quickly ready to put his life at stake for Bassanio. Yes he loves him, but love, especially a love where there can be no permanent future, has its ending worth and that is not a life. For Antonio to jump into such a bond, it begs the question, are we seeing self harming or suicidal behavior in a way that Antonio is not forced to recognize as this? It is easier to have someone else kill you than to do it yourself. It is especially easier if you do not have to say a part of you may want that. Dying by Shylock’s hand from an unfulfilled bond, may be the equivalent of dying in your sleep.
6. I have sold my soul to you for the price of your love and now if my skin is requested, it shall be obtained. Given freely, eagerly. By your request, by your need I would burn for days.
This song brings to light the negative aspects of Bassanio’s relationship to Antonio. Throughout the play we see Bassanio being the one without risk while Antonio bares it all. The edge to this song incites a tone of questioning onto Bassanio’s actions. By the ruling of Portia’s father, all a suitor must do is choose the correct chest, the play does not mention the need to be wealthy, yet Bassanio actively puts Antonio in danger to show off such wealth. Perhaps Antonio should be sick of this. I added this song to appease Antonio’s subconscious, which I hope sees something is wrong in this situation.
7. This song encapsulates the mood, the feeling of looking into the eyes of someone you love. How I would imagine Antonio looks at Bassanio. Antonio’s actions also dance along the lyrics. His devotion resembles that of a love struck fool. Only fools rush in, and though we may be unaware of how the relationship between Bassanio and Antonio began, we receive a front seat to Antonio rushing into a bond for Bassanio’s benefit. Antonio is a merchant. We assume he has some logical skills, so he must hold a lot of love for Bassanio to put himself in a relationship with obvious difficulties.