“The Merchant of Venice” written by
William Shakespeare revolves around
many different characters with their own problems that are mentioned throughout
the story. The character Antonio makes a deal with a Jew named Shylock, and
Antonio, being a Christian, made it a lot harder be the two characters to come
to an agreement without some sort of a twist. The story continues on with many
different people, but a character that seems to stand out with a personality
like no other would be Portia. The character Portia in this story is said to be
a very selfish, self-centered, and an egotistical type of person. But, what
many people may not see is the other side to Portia that protects the ones she
loves and does anything and everything in order for those around her to be safe
and to be problem free.
The part of the story
where Portia is introduced is when she was talking about how she was forced to
choose a husband due to the death of her father. “O me, the words choose! I may
neither choose whom I would refuse whom I dislike. Is it not hard, that I
cannot choose one, nor refuse one” (Act 1 Scene 2 Lines 20-23) Portia, having
no other choice but to marry a guy on a list shows that the way she acts can
only be a way of telling that she is trying to do what’s best for herself. “But
love is blind and lovers cannot see / for if they could, cupid himself would
blush” (Act 2 Scene 6 Lines 36-38) Portia has shown a sense where she is very
specific when it comes to who she wants to marry and fall in love with, but
having to do with that, she is only trying her best to chose the right person
to be with.
As the story
progresses, so does Portia’s development as well. “Appearances can be deceptive
/ the world is always taken by torment” (Act 3 Scene 2 Lines 73-74) Bassanio
tells Portia as he picks the right box in order to marry Portia, and of course
Portia is pleased with Bassanio because he is the only decent guy she’s seen.
“For as thou urgest justice, be assured / Thou shalt have justice more than
thou desires” (Act 4 Scene 1 Lines 313-314) An example where Portia is doing
her best to try and protect her husband’s friend that she clearly has not met
before says a lot about her character and how she took the time to help defend
Antonio.
The story finally ends
with Portia helping out in a trial dressed up as a man to help defend Antonio.
But then her marriage is also something she has tested along the way by asking
for Bassanio’s ring while she was still in disguise. “Let me give light, but
let me not be light / for a light wife doth make a heavy husband” (Act 5 Scene
1 Lines (128-130) She states that the more she, as a wife, has to also be as
independent as a husband. “Sir you are welcome to our house / It must appear in
other ways than words / Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy” (Act 5 Scene
1 Lines 138-140) Portia at this point is showing that she can be a generous
person when it comes to the people she cares about.
The character
development of Portia also shows throughout the story as well as her
personality. Portia has taught the readers that it’s sometimes okay to do what
you want as long as it benefits you and doesn’t harm those around you. The
character Portia in the book The Merchant of Venice is assumed to be a greedy and selfish individual but instead is misunderstood when in reality she does what
she wants with good intentions. The author of this play portrays many different
perspectives for the readers to actually understand the position each character
is in and the problems they face throughout the story.
