Essay on Portia of William Shakespeares The Merchant Of...

Portia of William Shakespeares The Merchant Of Venice The merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare in which is a drama, it shows us mercy, love and forgiveness. In this essay I’m going to write about Portia in comparison to the other male characters in the play. Shakespeare has created some very interesting characters in Bassanio, Antonio and Shylock. Bassanio and Antonio are good friends and they like most characters in the play, dislike Shylock the Jew. They have a good reason for disliking Shylock as he paints a very negative image of the Elizabethans Jews. He is very selfish and greedy and his love of money is stronger then his love for his daughter, Jessica. For Example, when Jessica†¦show more content†¦For Example, during the trial scene where he is about to be cut by Shylock rather then argue with Shylock more he simply bears his chest for him to have his bond. This indicates he does not want to see further conflict within the city or in Bassanio life. During the intense argument during the trial, Antonio tells Bassanio there is no point in arguing with Shylock: â€Å"I pray you, think you question with the Jew: you may as well go stand upon the beach and bid the main flood bate his usual height; you may as well use question with the wolf why he hath made the ewe bleat with the lamb;† Arguably, sacrificing himself for the good of those around him makes Antonio very honorable. Quite clearly Portia, Antonio and shylock are the dominate characters in this play. She differs from the other two in obvious ways such as the fact she is a woman, but also by fact that she is in control of events in the play. In many ways she has total control of everything affecting her life with the possible exception of her suitors choice of casket. Antonio and shylock are both in very difficult circumstances and see no ways of solving their own situation. Portia, however, is very direct in solving these dilemmas. She gets the husband she wants in Bassanio and frees him of not only his debt, but also his fears. Her work andShow MoreRelatedPortia and Bassanio in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice785 Words   |  4 PagesPortia and Bassanio in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† is a Shakespearean play based on the themes of friendship, racial prejudice, deceptive appearances and love, of which the most romantic is the love between Portia and Bassanio. In contrast, the other two couples - Lorenzo and Jessica, Gratiano and Nerissa – exhibit playful or down-to-earth love. Portia is as faultless as one could imagine. 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