Concept

Portia (The Merchant of Venice)

Overview

Portia is a female protagonist in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. 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.

Portia is fond of proverbs, frequently quoting them, which was considered a sign of wisdom and intellect in the Elizabethan era. It has been suggested that the character of Portia was based on Queen Elizabeth, who was reigning at the time the play was written, and who also had a penchant for proverbs.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

In the original texts

Passages from public-domain books where Portia (The Merchant of Venice) is discussed.

PORTIA. Upon the rack, Bassanio! Then confess What treason there is mingled with your love. BASSANIO. None but that ugly treason of mistrust, Which makes me fear th’ enjoying of my love.
William Shakespeare, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; opens on it
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The delineation of Portia is completed in a few brief masterly strokes. Once seen, the portrait ever after lives an old and dear acquaintance of the reader's inner man. Portia has strength enough to do and suffer for others, but very little for herself. As the daughter of Cato and the wife of Brutus, she has set in her eye a pattern of how she ought to think and act, being "so father'd and so husbanded"; but still…
William Shakespeare, The New Hudson Shakespeare
a chapter is titled for it; states what it is; names the idea; opens on it
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Portia gladly saw him depart, and at the same moment arrived a messenger to announce the coming of a young Venetian lord. Some instinct made Portia guess who was approaching, and she was not mistaken; it was indeed the lord Bassanio.
Mary Macleod, The Shakespeare Story-Book
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Then in noble words she bade Shylock have mercy. But he was deaf to her entreaties. “I will have the pound of flesh,” was his reply. “What have you to say?” asked Portia of the merchant. “But little,” he answered; “I am armed and well prepared.” “The Court awards you a pound of Antonio's flesh,” said Portia to the money-lender. “Most righteous judge!” cried Shylock.
E. Nesbit, Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare
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She is called Ceres, which is the same as Geres--_a gerendis frugibus_[145]--"from bearing fruit," the first letter of the word being altered after the manner of the Greeks, for by them she is called [Greek: Dêmêtêr], the same as [Greek: Gêmêtêr].[146] Again, he (_qui magna vorteret_) "who brings about mighty changes" is called Mavors; and Minerva is so called because (_minueret_, or _minaretur_) she diminishes or…
Marcus Tullius Cicero, Cicero's Tusculan Disputations Also, Treatises On The Nature Of The Gods, And On The Commonwealth
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Philosophers who discussed Portia (The Merchant of Venice)

Heraclitus

Related ideas

Place in the tradition

Part of Heraclitus.

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