The Merchant of Bromance

In The Merchant of Venice, the relationship between Bassanio and Antonio is pretty bromantic relationship, and there’s no way that could be homosexual. According to the very reliable source of Urban Dictionary, a bromance “describes the complicated love and affection shared by two straight males.” If that’s all that a bromance is, why can’t Bassanio and Antonio just be bromantic together? Sure, they have some pretty serious signs of love together, but who doesn’t have a few love moments with their bro every now and then? The fact of the matter is, maybe they are just good buds, who love one another’s company.

When looking for a modern day bromance which could totally mirror Antonio and Bassanio, the most comparable and most famous bromance might be Seth Rogen and James Franco. These two bros have done tons of movies and skits together, without being the slightest bit homosexual. In particular, their reenactment of Kanye West’s music video for ‘Bound 2’. There was nothing even slightly homosexual about their reenactment. They’re just expressing their bromantic feelings for one another through this video among other things. So, if James Franco and Seth Rogen can do it, why not Antonio and Bassanio? In my opinion, people are hating on them for their “homosexual” relationship, but they really just wanted to have a nice casual bromantic relationship. The fact that Bassanio is presumed gay because he’d do more for his bestie than his new wife isn’t so farfetched or homosexual. What guy wouldn’t do more for his long term bromance partner than his new wife, who he may love, but once a bro always a bro. Bassanio is just trying to live by the bro code, “bros before hoes”.

As this video that Nigahiga presents about bromance clearly shows, there’s nothing gay about being in a bromance, and Antonio is just Bassanio’s male-boo and vice versa. NOTHING HOMOSEXUAL ABOUT ALL THAT, just a little homosocial. There is nothing gay about their relationship, just like there’s nothing gay about Seth Rogen and James Franco’s relationship. Antonio and Bassanio’s relationship was totally heterosexual and not gay in the slightest, just loving each other in the most heterosexual way.