“My purse, my person, my extremest means Lie unlocked to your occasions.”

Trust and willingness to do anything for the other between both friends, in Shakespeare’s mind and our own, is paramount to a good friendship. In Antonio’s words, “[his] purse, [his] person, [his] extremest means Lie unlocked to [Bassanio’s] occasions.” (I. i. 145). Antonio trusts Bassanio with everything that is his. Hi purse–his money–is always open to Bassanio’s use. Bassanio asks Antonio for yet another loan. Antonio has already lent Bassanio a large sum, and Antonio willingly does so with trust in Bassanio and the willingness to do anything for him. Bassanio, in asking for his most recent loan, does so with reluctance and feels the need to explain himself. After hearing his timid explanation, Antonio is offended that Bassanio felt the need to explain at all–Shakespeare’s way of saying Bassanio should also have trusted that Antonio would do anything for him, no questions asked.

The characters, Portia and Nerissa, show similar friendship traits. Portia comes to Nerissa when she is in need, just as Bassanio comes to Antonio, but in Portia and Nerissa’s case, Portia is in need of emotional support, rather than financial. Portia comes to her because she can trust that Nerissa will give her honest answers and honest advice, and Nerissa trusts that Portia will accept this advice. Portia shows gratitude to Nerissa’s advice through saying “Good sentences, and well pronounced.” (I. ii. 10). And Nerissa responds with an honest piece of advice: “They would be better if well followed.” (I. ii. 11).

Shakespeare tends to understand the human condition and mind better than most people alive. His understanding, explanation, and ability to relate to us is timeless. Every one of us would be able to say that we want a friend that would do anything for us. We want to be able to trust our friends and we want them to have trust in us. We want advice from them that is honest and that will help us. If we need a friend’s opinion on something we are wearing we want to be able to trust them to give us honest advice and opinions This is the kind of friendship Shakespeare describes, and this is the kind of friendship we all desire–it is timeless.