Homoeroticism In Shakespeare Essay

There is a prevalent, obvious theme of homoeroticism in Shakespeare’s writings that can be supported by examining the practices of theater in the Elizabethan era and the analysis of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. When discussing the potential homosexual theme prevalent in Shakespeare’s collective works, one must first examine the implications and limitations of the identifying phrase itself. To ascertain whether or not the theme is homosexual, there should first be an explanation of the term itself and those related to it.
The term homosexual is described as “involving, related to, or characterized by a sexual propensity for one's own sex; of or involving sexual activity with a member of one's own sex, or between individuals of the same sex” (“homosexual”). The use of the term homosexual in this manner was first used in 1892, over 270 years after Shakespeare was alive
Bassanio, despite being busy chasing Portia, has a few moments in which his words and actions prove to push the homosocial boundary. One such moment is when he states he would “rather dwell in my necessity” (The Merchant of Venice 1.3.152) than let Antonio enter a contract with Shylock that would allow him to be physically harmed. Perhaps the biggest indicator of Bassanio’s feelings occurs later in the play when he receives the letter from Antonio informing him of the contract expiration and Antonio’s imminent demise. He immediately sets out to try and save Antonio, ignoring the fact he is married to Portia and marriage is supposed to be two people who mean everything to each other. This moment becomes even more potent when Bassanio later gives up his ring, the physical symbol of his relationship with Portia, out of gratitude to the lawyer for saving Antonio’s life. His willingness to forsake “life itself, my wife, and all the world” (The Merchant of Venice 4.1.283) is a subtle declaration of homoerotic