Portia (Shakespeare)
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Portia is a female
protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
in ''
The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan taken out on behalf of his dear friend, Bassanio, and provided by a ...
'' by
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
. In creating her character, Shakespeare drew from the historical figure of Porcia – the daughter of Cato the Younger – as well as several parts of the
Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
. Portia is fond of
proverb A proverb (from ) or an adage is a simple, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and are an example of formulaic speech, formulaic language. A proverbial phrase ...
s, frequently quoting them, which was considered a sign of wisdom and intellect in the
Elizabethan era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female ...
. It has been suggested that the character of Portia was based on
Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen B ...
, who was reigning at the time the play was written, and who also had a penchant for proverbs.


Character

In Shakespeare's play, Portia is a wealthy heiress in Belmont. She is bound by a lottery outlined in her father's will, which allows potential suitors to choose one of three caskets made of gold, silver, and lead, respectively. If they choose the correct casket containing Portia's portrait and a scroll, they win her hand in marriage. Portia is glad when two suitors, one driven by greed and another by vanity, fail to choose correctly. She favors
Bassanio Bassanio is a fictional character in Shakespeare's ''The Merchant of Venice''. Bassanio, the best friend of Antonio, is a spendthrift who wasted all of his money in order to be seen as a respectable man. To regain his fortune, he is determined to ...
, a young but impoverished Venetian noble. Later in the play, she disguises herself as a man and then assumes the role of a lawyer, Balthazar, whereby she saves the life of Bassanio's friend
Antonio Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top ...
in court. In the court scene, Portia finds a technicality in the bond, as it does not allow for the removal of blood, thereby outwitting the
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
moneylender
Shylock Shylock () is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play '' The Merchant of Venice'' ( 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal villain. His defeat and forced conversion to Christianity form the climax ...
and saving Antonio from giving the
pound of flesh Shylock () is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' ( 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal villain. His defeat and forced conversion to Christianity form the climax o ...
demanded when everyone else, including the Duke presiding as judge, fails. It is Portia who delivers one of the most famous speeches in ''The Merchant of Venice'': In the end, Portia and Bassanio go on to live together along with the former's lady-in-waiting, Nerissa, and her husband, Gratiano.


Critics

In her book ''Shakespeare's Daughters'', critic Sharon Hamilton categorizes Portia as one of Shakespeare's women who act instead of their (absent) father. Additionally, rather than being subdued by her society's restrictive feminine model, she is "confident, witty, and resourceful." Susan Oldrieve notes that while Portia rebels against patriarchal control, she eventually relents, "partly out of trust and duty, and partly because she finds that it ultimately works to her advantage." Critics disagree about the extent of help Portia gives Bassanio in her test, the choosing of the caskets. In 1876, the critic J. Weiss was the first to assert that Portia assists Bassanio. More recent critics that take this view are S. F. Johnson, in "How Many Ways Portia Informs Bassanio's Choice," and Michael Zuckert in "The New Medea: On Portia's Comic Triumph in ''The Merchant of Venice''," both in 1996. Opposing this view is Robert Hapgood in "Portia and ''The Merchant of Venice'': The Gentle Bond" (1967) and Corinne S. Abate in "Nerissa Teaches Me What to Believe: Portia's Wifely Empowerment in ''The Merchant of Venice''" (2002). Despite her lack of formal legal training, Portia wins her case by referring to the exact language of the law. The tactics she uses are, in modern terms, referred to as a " Philadelphia lawyer." These tactics help demonstrate her power in the court, contrasting with her earlier lack of choice in the marriage. However, such tactics also lead to further discussions about the use and abuse of
rhetoric Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. It is one of the three ancient arts of discourse ( trivium) along with grammar and logic/ dialectic. As an academic discipline within the humanities, rhetoric aims to study the techniques that speakers or w ...
. As a vital concept of civic life during the Elizabethan era, rhetoric often indicates an individual's wit (in a way, similar to the modern term "
Intellect Intellect is a faculty of the human mind that enables reasoning, abstraction, conceptualization, and judgment. It enables the discernment of truth and falsehood, as well as higher-order thinking beyond immediate perception. Intellect is dis ...
"), while at the same time intricately linked to moral issues as it possesses the potential to obfuscate distinctions between right and wrong. For example, the abuse of rhetoric skills is brought to light by Portia – highlighting the idea that an unjust argument may win through eloquence, loopholes and technicalities, regardless of the moral question at hand – and thus provoking the audience to consider that issue.


Portrayals

Frances Abington Frances Abington (; 1737 – 4 March 1815) was an English actress who was also known for her sense of fashion. Writer and politician Horace Walpole described her as one of the finest actors of their time, and Richard Brinsley Sheridan was said to ...
,
Sarah Siddons Sarah Siddons (''née'' Kemble; 5 July 1755 – 8 June 1831) was a Welsh actress, the best-known Tragedy, tragedienne of the 18th century. Contemporaneous critic William Hazlitt dubbed Siddons as "tragedy personified". She was the elder siste ...
and
Elizabeth Whitlock Elizabeth Whitlock (née Kemble; 2 April 1761, Warrington, Lancashire27 February 1836, Addlestone) was an English actress, a member of the Kemble family of actors. She made her first appearance on the stage in 1783. In 1785 she married Charles ...
all played Portia in the 18th century when actresses first started appearing on stage in performances of the play. More recently, the role has been depicted in the cinema, on television, and in theatres by a number of notable actresses such as
Maggie Smith Dame Margaret Natalie Smith (28 December 1934 – 27 September 2024) was a British actress. Known for her wit in both comedic and dramatic roles, she had List of Maggie Smith performances, an extensive career on stage and screen for over seve ...
,
Claire Bloom Patricia Claire Bloom (born 15 February 1931) is an English actress. She is known for leading roles on stage and screen and has received two BAFTA Awards and a Drama Desk Award as well as nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, a Grammy Award an ...
,
Sybil Thorndike Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969. Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her h ...
,
Joan Plowright Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier (; 28 October 1929 – 16 January 2025), commonly known as Dame Joan Plowright, was an English actress whose career spanned over six decades. She received several accolades including two Golden Globe Awards, an ...
,
Caroline John Caroline Frances John (19 September 1940 – 5 June 2012) was an English actress. She played classical roles on the stage as well as several television roles. She is best known for playing Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw in the BBC science fiction televi ...
,
Lynn Collins Viola Lynn Collins (born May 16, 1977) is an American actress. She has made television appearances in '' True Blood'' (2008), '' Manhunt: Unabomber'' (2017) and '' The Walking Dead'' (2021–2022), and is recognized for her roles in films such ...
,
Lily Rabe Lily Rabe (born June 29, 1982) is an American actress. She is best known for her multiple roles on the FX anthology horror series ''American Horror Story'' (2011–2021). For her performance as Portia in the Broadway production of ''The Merchant ...
, and
Gemma Jones Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...
.


Cultural references

The character of Portia has had a considerable and long-lived cultural impact. *
Abigail Adams Abigail Adams ( ''née'' Smith; – October 28, 1818) was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. She was a founder o ...
adopted the
pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...
"Portia" in letters to her husband,
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...
, the second
president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
. John signed his letters with "
Lysander Lysander (; ; 454 BC – 395 BC) was a Spartan military and political leader. He destroyed the Athenian fleet at the Battle of Aegospotami in 405 BC, forcing Athens to capitulate and bringing the Peloponnesian War to an end. He then played ...
". * The
New England School of Law New England Law Boston (formerly New England School of Law, and styled as New England Law Boston) is a private law school in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded as Portia School of Law in 1908 and is located in downtown Boston near the Massa ...
was originally known as the Portia Law School when it was established in 1908 as a women-only law school and was known by that name until 1969. * In his '' Rumpole'' novels, author
John Mortimer Sir John Clifford Mortimer (21 April 1923 – 16 January 2009) was a British barrister, dramatist, screenwriter and author. He is best known for short stories about a barrister named Horace Rumpole, adapted from episodes of the TV series '' R ...
has Rumpole call Phyllida Erskine-Brown (née Trant) the "Portia of our Chambers". *
Georgina Weldon Georgina Weldon (née Thomas; 24 May 1837 – 11 January 1914) was a British litigant and amateur soprano of the Victorian era. Early years She was born at Tooting Lodge, Clapham Common in 1837, one of seven children and the oldest daughter bo ...
, the celebrated Victorian litigant and amateur soprano, was referred to as the "Portia of the Law Courts". *
Portia Portia may refer to: Biology * ''Portia'' (spider), a genus of jumping spiders *Portia tree, a plant native to Polynesia *''Anaea troglodyta'' or Portia, a brush-footed butterfly Other uses *Portia (given name), the history and usage of the give ...
is a moon of
Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It is a gaseous cyan-coloured ice giant. Most of the planet is made of water, ammonia, and methane in a Supercritical fluid, supercritical phase of matter, which astronomy calls "ice" or Volatile ( ...
, one of several such named after Shakespearean characters. *
Portia de Rossi Portia Lee James DeGeneres (born Amanda Lee Rogers; 31 January 1973), known professionally as Portia de Rossi, is an Australian-American former actress. She played Nelle Porter on the American drama series ''Ally McBeal'' (1998–2002), for wh ...
(born Amanda Lee Rogers), married to
Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American former comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on '' ...
, adopted the name Portia to reinvent herself after becoming a model and actress. * The Portia Hypothesis, which states women with
masculine Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some beh ...
-sounding names tend to be more successful in a legal profession than otherwise identical counterparts, is named after the character. *
Portia (given name) Portia is a feminine given name taken from the name of the Roman ''Porcia gens'', which was ultimately derived from the Latin ; translates to ''pig''. It is best known as a character who disguises herself as a man to act as an imposter judge and s ...
, the history and usage of the given name


Notes and references


Sources

* * * * * * * * *


External links

*
All lines spoken by Portia
Folger Shakespeare Library The Folger Shakespeare Library is an independent research library on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., United States. It has the world's largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare, and is a primary repository for rare materia ...
{{Authority control The Merchant of Venice Literary characters introduced in 1590 Female Shakespearean characters Fictional Italian people in literature