Relationships in the Merchant of Venice

Antonio is never with a woman in the play and the only time he talks about love it is about his love for Bassanio. In Act IV, scene 1, Antonio says" Commend me to your honourable wife. Tell her the process of Antonio's end. Say how I lov’d you, speak me fair in death and when the tale is told, bid her be judge. Whether Bassanio had not once a love."
Antonio loves Bassanio so deeply he is willing to die, and before that he is willing to "give" him to Portia, because Bassanio has no idea how deep Antonio's love runs.

When Antonio sends Bassanio a letter to ask him to return, telling him of the failure of his ships he includes the line "if your love does not p...