character sketch of portia in 1500 words
A young Venetian of noble rank, his friends hold him in high esteem. Portia is the romantic heroine of The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare's tragicomedy. Character Sketch Of Antonio In Merchant Of Venice. Purchasing She is clearly glad to be rid of them all when it is announced that they are departing. The entire ring plot is Portia's idea, and she and Nerissa relish the prospect of the jest at their husbands' expense. Bassanio reveals that a greedy merchant, Shylock, loaned him 3,000 ducats, or gold coins, so he'd have enough to win Portia's heart. By this reading, Portia and Bassanios marriage is not founded on loveat least not initially. All rights reserved. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Portia is a very large-hearted and generous woman. But after he has failed and has left, she cries out, "O, these deliberate fools!" She wishes she had more of everything to give Bassanio: "This house, these servants and this same myself / Are yours, my lord: I give them with this ring." In The Merchant of Venice, Portia is a beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy heiress from Belmont. I may neither choose whom I would nor refuse whom I dislike - so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father. Try it today! Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs [House Hearing, 117 Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] H.R. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. For Portia, Bassanio may be an investment in her own future. Last updated date: 22nd Feb 2023 Total views: 188.7k Views today: 3.74k Answer Verified 188.7k + views Hint: Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice. He is a Jewish moneylender. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. He treats the bond as a weapon which he might be able to use in case Antonio, by some mischance, is rendered penniless and finds it impossible to repay the loan. When Bassanio arrives home, he realizes Shylock is more interested in revenge, or the taking of a pound of Antonio's flesh, than money. He certainly has his hateful traits of character; and he certainly deserves to be called a villain. insinuates that she has been unfaithful. Portias true and womanly nature appears in the finest colours in Act III. Harold Bloom's characterization of The Merchant of Venice as.. As part of his efforts to win Portia's hand, Bassanio borrowed 3,000 ducats from Shylock, a greedy moneylender. She displays courage, confidence and strength in her speeches in the court. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Despite Portia's negative opinion of the suitors, she becomes excited and hopeful when Nerissa mentions Bassanio's name. Struggling with distance learning? Some of the striking features of his character are given below : (1) His Melancholy : In the opening scene of the play he tells his friends that he is sad for some unknown reasons. It is necessary for us therefore to assess this mans character impartially. eNotes Editorial. At the same time we must not forget that he is essentially an evil man full of spite and malice against the Christians and, more particularly, against his enemy Antonio. Bassanio alludes to Jason, an ancient Greek mythological hero who went on a quest for the golden fleece, when he mentions how determined Portia's suitors are to obtain her love. The prime reason of his going to Belmont to marry Portia is to become wealthy so that he can pay back his debts. 1 Mar. But she has implicit faith in her fathers wisdom, and she is convinced that her fathers will would prove to be the means of her getting the right man as her husband. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Shylock is a deceitful and crafty man. Bassanio states that "her sunny locks / Hang on her temples like a golden fleece.". As The Merchant of Venice opens, Portia's father has passed away, leaving her with a stunning inheritance. And he becomes a pathetic figure at the end when he staggers out of the court, a ruined man and a fanatical Jew who must now turn a Christian. Quick-witted, wealthy, and beautiful, Portia embodies
The fact that Shylock is a Jew and Antonio is a Christian and something of an anti-Semite, or someone who is prejudicial against Jews, contributes to the ethnic and religious tension between the two men. Portia Humorous and Witty He is true to his own code of conduct. Of her beauty, we need no convincing. We all know she's beautiful, that needs no convincing. She only expresses sadness and even world-weariness once throughout the entire play. The Prince of Morocco is a suitor to Portia's hand. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. (one code per order). As opposed to Bassanios call for the rules to be ignored and Antonios melancholic resignation to his fate, Portia is able to work within the constraints of the court system to save Antonios life. If Antonio were to die for Bassanios happiness, then Bassanio would never truly be able to pay back that debt. But this reasoning is not in the fashion to choose me a husband. When Portia returns home with the ring, she confronts Bassanio, saying: 'You were to blame, I must be plain with you,To part so slightly with your wife's first gift:A thing stuck on with oaths upon your fingerAnd so riveted with faith unto your flesh.I gave my love a ring and made him swearNever to part with it; and here he stands' (5.1).'. of her fathers will, she watches a stream of suitors pass her by,
He offers a forceful plea on behalf of the Jews in his speech beginning: Hath not a Jew eyes? His first impression is definitely bad. As Bassanio's best friend, Antonio, guaranteed the loan, Portia gives her new husband 6,000 ducats. She calls him "noble." The brain may devise laws for the blood, but a hot temper leaps o'er a cold decree. Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew? Ed. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. How would you describe and analyze the Prince of Arragon in The Merchant of Venice? In act I, we learn that the main female protagonist of the story is Portiaa woman of great beauty and sharp intellect. When Bassanio describes her to Antonio in scene one, we learn that she is a wealthy heiress, "richly left," that she is beautiful ("she is fair, and, fairer than that word"), and that she possesses many other amazingly benevolent qualities (she is "Of wondrous virtues"). 2023
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