Character in The Merchant of Venice
Antonio ♂ male
189Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.1Last Scene
7.1%Of Play Dialogue
Antonio speaks 189 lines in The Merchant of Venice — the #4 role by line count, accounting for 7.1% of the play’s dialogue across 6 scenes.
Antonio enters the play in Act 1, Scene 1: “In sooth, I know not why I am so sad:”
Every scene where Antonio speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 1 | 47 | 14.8% |
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 39 | 21.3% |
| Act 2, Scene 6 | 6 | 8.6% |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 19 | 48.7% |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 66 | 14.0% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 12 | 3.7% |
Dialogue partners
Across 6 scenes, Antonio most frequently shares the stage with: Gratiano (4 shared scenes), Bassanio (4 shared scenes), Salarino (3 shared scenes), Nerissa (3 shared scenes), Shylock (3 shared scenes).
Quick facts
Where does Antonio rank in The Merchant of Venice’s cast?
#4 by line count, with 189 lines across Acts 1 to 5.
Who does Antonio speak with most often?
Gratiano — 4 shared scenes.