Consider Shakespeare’s presentation of Portia in “The Merchant of Venice”

The Merchant of Venice is believed to have been written in the 16th vitamin C and it is to a large extent reflective of England at the snip, which was a vener satisfactory club. Portias type embodies the characteristics of an ideal woman at the time that arguably defers to her father and hithertotu eachy her husband. However, as the play advances we see a variant side of Portia.Shakespe are introduces her character in a very conventional way. He manipulations Bassanio as a device for introducing the character of Portia. The sense of hearing is treated to Bassanios perceptionion of Portia. It is by means of him the audience works an impression of Portia, with the aid of his effective use of imagery. Bassanio begins with In Belmont there is a lady richly left,And shes fair, and fairer than that explicate Of wondrous virtues.To get a clearer picture of who Portia is from Bassianos perspective, we consider his woof of words in his description. For example, Richly left he r wealth is the first graphic symbol the audience learns ab out(p) before we hear of her beauty as intumesce as her virtues. The adjective fair and the use of the comparative form fairer in the same line gives the impression that she is stunning. In addition to that, wondrous which qualifies her virtues portrays that she is of immaculate character. Bassanios speech foregrounds the idea that a womans wealth, forthrightness and virtues are the qualities hands looked for in women at the time.Bassanio then finally officially introduces her to the audience Her name is Portia, nonhing undervaluedTo Catos daughter, Brutus Portia. Nor is the wide world coarse of her worthA modern day audience is able to direct see clearly that women are assigned second-class status, because Bassanio describes her as though she is defined by her relationship with Cato (in this case her daughter). His reference to her as Brutus Portia helps the audience get a feel of what sheis really like, as Shakes peare brings the characters of Brutus and Portia from Julius Caesar, which the audience is much or less likely familiar with.Portia in Julius Caesar starts out as a given wife just now as the play progresses shows steadiness as well as masculinity and in fact her character echoes Queen Elizabeth who excellently said I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman simply I have the vegetable marrow and stomach of a king these are qualities Portia exemplifies in The Merchant of Venice as well. Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth informs the audience that everybody acknowledges that she is a learn and she is in fact many mens dream wife, which lays wildness on her fairness and virtues. In addition to this he says Renowned suitors, and her pleased locksHang on her temples like a golden fleece, Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos strand, And many Jasons add up in ask of herHere Bassanio uses classical mythology to qualify. In one of the oldest quest stories, J ason led a party of Greek heroes called the Argonatus through many hazards in order to bring back the Golden Fleece from the shores of Colchis on the disastrous Sea. His intriguing use of metaphors and simile highlights how there are many men after her.Finally, we meet Portia in the next scene, where her first line is By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of the great world This echoes Antonios initiative line of the play, which highlights the point that the world of Belmont a feminine world- and the world of Venice a masculine world- are going to be intrinsically linked passim the play mainly through Portia and Antonio. Portia then informs the audience of the enclose mental test which is a test her dead father arranged for her husband to be chosen. I may neither choose who I attach, nor refuse who I dislike, so is the exit of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.Portia reiterates Edwin Sandyss Sermon Sixteen where he insists that children are to accept the advice of their parents in choosing a spouse and in fact concludes that children who marry without the consent of parents are not sanctioned by God. This causes her to carry on her fathers plan even though he is dead. Shakespeare therefrom manages to present her as being a dutifuldaughter in addition to being fair and double-dyed(a). In addition to this, Shakespeare portrays Portia as though she is a slave to the jewel casket test because she has no find over whom she marries. This is a conventional portrayal of women and would have been accepted at his time as the thought process of people moved in this direction.We stick with that as Nerissa names Portias suitors who appear to be coming from all over the world, Portias responses, for example I had rather be conjoin to a deaths head with a bone in his mouth than to either of these. God defend me of these. Gives the impression that amidst being virtuous and dutiful she is also selective dismissive and stereotypical . She echoes the anti-Semitism in Venice (Antonio against the Jew, Shylock) through her reaction upon learning of the arrival of the Prince of Morocco If he have the condition of a saint, and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me than wive me. Without even meeting him she makes up her mind that she would rather have him for a confessor than a husband because of his skin colour, which she likens to the devil because devils were traditionally black. From this moment on, it is realized to the audience that Antonio and Portia are going to be the link between Belmont and Venice.When Bassanio with his take up arrives to take the casket test, we get a love scene, which is arguably the stovepipe since Romeo and Juliet. Portia who up until this point has been either warily polite or disdain to the full dismissive, now displays a turmoil of emotion as she begs Bassanio to delay his weft I pray you tarry, pause a day or twoBefore you hazard, for in choosing wrong I l ose your company therefore forbear a while.Shakespeare immediately portrays to the audience that Bassanio is Portias desired suitor. Portia changes the rhythm of her speech from prose when she was speak to Morocco to a softer more poetic verse form. Some may take in that she wants to influence his decision while others may see it as her but wanting to spend quality time with the man she appears to have move in love with before the tension of the casket test takes over. As the scene progresses the we catch a glimpse of a flirty side of Portia, when she saysto Bassanio Upon the shove Bassanio? Then confessWhat treason is mingled with your love. chase this, Portia insists on music repeatedly in her speech which echoes, if music be the food of love play on from the Twelfth Night thus buttressing that she is trying to influence his decision. In the same breath she arguably poetically transforms Bassanios excerpt of the casket Go HerculesHercules, who is a legendary hero, reinforce s that she is currently a slave of the casket test and she is imploring him to liberate her from it. At this point, we begin to see Portia attempting to distort the situation in order for it to suit her. When Bassanio finally makes the right choice and wins the lottery of the casket test, Shakespeare uses the device of soliloquy I feel as well as much thy blessing make it lessFor I fear I satiateTo allow the audience feel her joy. She immediately submits all that she has to Bassanio by referring to him as Lord Bassanio which again shows that she is indeed dutiful and instrumental. She continues to express her elation and in fact begins to refer to herself in third person Happy in this, she is not yet so oldBut she may learn happier than this, She is not bred so dull but she can learn Happiest of all is that her gentle tangThe use of third person distances Portia from the situation and not owning her joy shows that she doesnt believe how lucky she is and cannot believe the happi ness is really hers, which makes the audience able to reply to her ecstasy even more. In addition, the comparative and superlative form of the adjective happy compels the audience to feel and in fact parcel of land her joy. Furthermore, she continues to surrender everything to him Commits itself to yours to be directedAs from her ecclesiastic, her governor, her king. Myself and what is mine, to you and yours Is now converted. But now I was the lord Of this fair mansion, master of my servants, Queen oer myself and even now, but now, This house, these servants, and this same myself Are yours, my lords.She now begins to refer to him as not just as her lord but now her king and governor and she hands over all her wealth and material possessions to him. She is now subservient to the patriarchal society. Although at the beginning, her vulnerability caused her to want to challenge the patriarchal society and now love makes her accept it.We then begin to see a Portia of resource and com mand. As she sends Bassanio quickly to help Antonio O love pip all business and be gone.Amidst her resourcefulness, we see her desperation to make him happy. Following this, the first time the audience sees Portia in the masculine world of Venice, masked as a man in the courtroom scene where she has become to rescue Antonio, after she has been liberated by the casket test. Portia is given the control from the moment of her discreet ceremonial entry into the scene and she manages to retain it manger the end of the scene. She shapes the scene into a rhetorical symmetry that would have been bare to an Elizabethan audience. Portia unlike the other Christians refers to Shylock like a humanity being. She attempts to persuade him by insisting mercy is a divine percept of both their religions, when that doesnt work she tries to appeal to his financial instincts Take thrice thy capital bid me tear the bondShe makes it obvious that she is acknowledging the bond but in the same breath takes advantage of his known love for money and implores him to have mercy on Antonio and offers him double the money. Despite this, Shylock refuses again, which she manages to respond Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge,To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to deathBy asking for a doctor to be present she attempts to make Shylock, realisethe inhumane nature of his intentions. Portia is steadily religious offering Shylock every chance to be merciful. Portia, picking up a reverberation from the world of dalliance with her Tarry a little, step back into the world of reckoning and authoritatively changes the whole direction of the trial. Overall, Shakespeare presents her as learned, eloquent and confident which is very different to the way she is portrayed quiet, pliable and submissive prior to this scene. However, it can be argued that because she did it for Bassanio, she is showing her love, subservient and fully committing herself to him and in fact putting into practic e the traditional wedding vows even before theyre married.In the fifth and final act, she still expands her freedom, as she grows in authority and dignity, fresh touches of humour enlightening her new traits of courteousness showing. Shakespeare presents her as a woman of perfect simplicity, in her tact especially how she keeps her guest Antonio out of the mock quarrel about the rings even though it is more or less his fault. Her final word of the act, which is faithfully, is reflective of her character throughout the play.To conclude, Shakespeare generally presents her in a positive light not only through her character but also through the slipway other characters speak of her. For example when Jessica likens her to being heaven on human race as well as when Lorenzo likens her to a god-like amity. In addition, she is presented as a very interesting and calculating character.