At the first glance there is too much ring-giving in MoV: Jessica gives her father's ring for a monkey, Portia gives her ring to Bassanio, Bassanio gives Portia's ring to the "civil doctor", and Portia gives the ring to Antonio in order that he gives it to Bassanio again; finally, Nerissa gives a ring to Gratiano and Gratiano gives it (back) to the "judge's clerk". What an affluence of rings, one may say.
But, as Bassanio (again) rightfully observed, "so may the outward shows be least themselves". Dismissing Nerissa's mock ring, which is never seen but too much told of as an ornament, we may recall, that the only described ring with definite history is Shylock's (as well as all the real money in the play are Shylock's):
Tubal: There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot choose but break.
Shylock: I am very glad if it: I'll plague him, I'll torture him: I am glad of it.
Tubal: One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey.
Shylock: Out upon her! Thou tortures me, Tubal: it was my turquoise: I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor. I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys.
Let us assume that rich Portia was one of the Antonio's creditors (we are not told of the origin of her wealth - but she is undeniably very competent in governing her capital: mark, that she is on very good terms with Bellario, a lawyer providing services to the Duke of Venice) and we can see that it was
one ring circulating between numerous people. The ring, treasured for long years by Shylock the Jew as a token of his marriage, seems to burn Christians' hands and constantly changes the owner accompanied by the highest and noblest oaths never kept.
The story of the ring provides an interesting commentary to the pound of flesh case. Let me remind the dialog between Portia and Bassanio when he confesses that he gave out the ring:
Bassanio: Sweet Portia,
If you did know to whom I gave the ring,
If you did know for whom I gave the ring,
And would conceive for what I gave the ring,
And how unwillingly I left the ring,
When naught would be accepted but the ring,
You would abate the strength of your displeasure.
Portia: If you had known the virtue of the ring,
O half her worthiness that gave the ring,
Or your own honour to contain the ring,
You would not then have parted with the ring.
What man is there so much unreasonable,
If you had pleas'd to have defended it
With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty
To urge the thing held as a ceremony?
Some time later Antonio says:
I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels.
And he is right. Readers know perfectly well that Portia is more than aware of all the circumstances, and, be "ring" replaced with "life" in her speech, it would sound as a rebuke to Antonio, who - let's say it plain - was eager to sacrifice his life for a trifle, denying the virtue and worthiness of God and tempting the Jew into crime by irreverent attitude towards the sanctity of life. Reading the play, I as a reader can't believe that Antonio really meant to forfeit his pound of flesh before Portia entered the Court and made this treat so near to him. It is hard to tell by his further conduct if he learned his lesson. Probably he didn't because he is eager "to be bound again, my soul upon the forfeit, that you lord will never more break faith advisedly".
Every Shakespeare's play is like a kaleidoscope - play with mirrors - you can turn it many ways, but there is still an enchanting ornament inside, not a chaotic mess.
So let me shake the pieces of coloured glass in the tube once more and look at another constellation.
Assuming that the ring stolen by Jessica from her father is obtained, by way of exchange, by Portia, who gives it to Bassanio saying:
This house, these servants, and this same myself
Are yours, my lord. I give them with this ring;
Which, when you part from, lose or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love,
And be my vantage to exclaim on you.
Well, the words hardly expected to be heard from a newly wedded wife, more suitable for a businessman! But the businnesmen in play - Antonio and Shylock - don't use such a language: the former speaks constantly of love, the latter of revenge and offence. And one more thing to mark: by the ring Bassanio is given only "house, servants and herself" - not a word about money or goods. After all, the casket of lead he chose. But what with the two other caskets - of silver and gold?
Bassanio with ring on his hand goes to Venice to take part in the trial by Antonio's side, Portia in disguise follows him and wins the process for Bassanio and Antonio, who is not only free from forfeit, but also ensures the Shylock's goods for Lorenzo and Jessica. Quite unexpected turn of things, isn't it? Let us believe in his great affection for Bassanio, but why he cares so much about Lorenzo and Jessica?
Duke bids Antonio to "gratify this gentleman, for, in my mind, you are much bound to him" and it would be proper and natural, if he did so. But it is Bassanio who offers - what can he offer? - Shylock's three thousand as a reward. Why Bassanio? Because he took the loan from Shylock - Antonio only insured it. Bassanio is the party in the trial.
Civil doctor - Portia - is wise enough not to accept these virtual money and claims contentment, but Bassanio insists, so that he has to part with the only real thing he has - the ring, and he does so on Antonio's bidding:
My lord Bassanio, let him have this ring:
Let his deservings and my love withal
Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment.
So, giving up the ring, Bassanio in fact transforms his marriage into a three party's contract, which is to be only confirmed later in Belmont:
Bassanio: Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong;
And in the hearing of these my friends,
I swear to thee, even by thine fair eyes,
Wherein I see myself, -
Portia: Mark you but that!
In both my eyes he doubly sees himself;
In each eye, one: swear by your double self,
And there's an oath of credit.
Bassanio: Nay, but hear me:
Pardon this fault and by my soul I swear
I never more will break an oath with thee.
Antonio: I once did lend my body for his wealth,
Which but for him that had your husband's ring,
Had quite miscarried: I dare be bound again,
My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Will never more break faith advisedly.
Portia: Then you shall be his surety. Give him this,
And bid him keep this better than the other.
Antonio: Here, lord Bassanio, swear to keep the ring.
Bassanio: By heaven! it is the same I gave the doctor!
Portia: I had it of him: pardon me, Bassanio,
For, by this ring, the doctor lay with me.
What a menage a trois! And a blackmail too - a letter from Bellario and Lorenzo's testimony that she left Belmont after Bassanio in fact give Portia control over the whole company, for all of them: Antonio, Bassanio, Lorenzo gain financially from her forgery. Besides, we can't be sure that Antonio actually gave the ring to Bassanio...
So dear Mr. A. was wrong claiming that Antonio must stay away from Belmont - he is welcome and rewarded ("Antonio, you are welcome; And I have better news in store for you" - says Portia and the last words of Antonio are "I am dumb"), as well as Lorenzo and Jessica.
As for Bassanio, his last words are: "Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow: when I am absent, lie with my wife". A substituted husband.
On several readings of MoV I can't help speculating (though Shakespeare certainly didn't mean it to be understood that way) that Antonio once had taken his chance with Portia's caskets too (that's why he was single - the oath!), but his choice was wrong (silver one, I suppose), nevertheless she took to him and - being very clever - at last found very complicated and highly Venetian way to do as she choose despite her father's will. As for Bassanio: well, he's got exactly what the casket promised:
Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he has.
And, to conclude the ring trope, couple of words about women's solidarity.
Portia speaks about Antonio:
... which makes me think that this Antonio,
being the bosom lover of my lord,
must needs be like my lord. If it be so,
how little is the cost I have bestow'd
in purchasing the semblance of my soul
from out of state of hellish cruelty.
But it was Jessica, who said: " our house is a hell" and it is her future wealth is ensured in course of the trial of Shylock: Antonio's condition is that Shylock's money after his death are to get Lorenzo and Jessica. So maybe Jessica, so despised by Auden for "conspicuous waste" of money, was, after all, as Lorenzo described her:
... she is wise, if I can judge of her,
And fair she is, if that my eyes be true,
And true she is, as she hath proved herself.
and used money and jewels taken from Shylock to buy help and assistance of respected Venetian persons to impose her will on her father (after all, we shouldn't believe all the Realto gossips about monkeys remembering the ones about Antonio's bankruptcy proved to be false). Maybe Jessica is the real "semblance of [Portia's] soul", for Portia understands very well what it means to be determined by the father's will:
Oh me, the word "choose". I may neither choose whom I would nor refuse whom I dislike, so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.
And Jessica is not happy with her devices. She only too well realizes the cost of her choice. Her last words in the play are: "I am never merry when I hear sweet music".
