Portia Essay

Mikayla Hinkle

April 27, 2014

Portia

Portia is this wealthy girl living in the beloved setting of Belmont. Portia was left to marry whoever passes her fathers test. But while she criticizes every one of the contender’s only one was on her mind, Bassanio. Once she gets Bassanio she is satisfied. Later she dresses like a man to pursue a young lawyer. This shows her intelligence working with the law, but while she is faking as a man she test her man Bassanio. While portia may be ungrateful, once she gets what she wants she shows her untrustworthy side.

Her love life was not in her hands. She is unable to choose her own lover but is forced to marry whoever passes her father’s love test. He left a requirement that forces her to marry the man who can choose correctly among three caskets. The gold, with the engraving “Who chooses me shall gain what many men desire.” The silver casket is engraved with “who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves” And lastly the winning casket states “ Who chooses me shall give and gamble all he has.”  Portia has wealth but has lost the control over her own destiny due to her fathers test. When Bassanio chooses bassanio, winning Portia she immediately agrees to share all her money, property and power over to him in order to be his loving,lucky and caring  wife. Portia was stubborn only being so little openly minded to her wishes. 

In the disguise of a young lawyer, she saves Antonio from Shylock’s knife. She dresses as a man to take the form of a lawyer. Therefore directing around the law. After becoming acquainted with the case she appears at the court house and is ready to walk everybody through what is going to happen. She starts with giving shylock the satisfaction that he can take the pound of flesh. Once scanning over the bond she says aloud “ Well, this bond is forefit. By this, the Jew may lawfully claim a pound of flesh, to be cut by him nearest to the merchant’s heart.” Then gives it a bit of a twist at shylocks climax of happiness. She announces he is not to shed a drop of christian blood & that he is forbidden to take no more or no less than a pound. after those conditions arise shylock decides not to precede. This case showed us the side of portia we hadn't experienced yet. She was not only this beautiful princess she was intelligent and clever.

After the case is over bassanio runs to thanks the “lawyer” offering three thousand ducats. “he” refuses but after minutes of bassanio persisting to pay “him” in some form “He” finds a solution. Then asking for the ring that his lovely portia gave to him. When they put the rings on each others fingers they promised to never take it off until the death or their love runs out. After the “lawyer” persist bassanio gives the ring over. This test from ports brings out her not only stubborn but she shows real unhealthy untrustworthy qualities. 

Once the book is over and collecting all of these moods & qualities i have gathered the vision that she is just an educated heiress. She is this intelligent girl that can mess with your emotions. But she has problems with her own. She can trust, accept or be straight forward. She has to talk behind your back. Always getting your way can cause this since of insecurity making her question everything.