“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. There are many different people throughout this story, 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 character, 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.
Portia’s character development progresses along with the rest of the story. “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.
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