Portia in my eyes

Portia in My Eyes

Portia Belmont, the central person of The Merchant of Venice, is a humorous woman and a well- speaker, which can be found in many scenes. When her maid, Nerissa asked Portia ''What warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely suitors that are already come?'' Although she admitted that it was a sin to be a mocker, she still made a fun of them as an opportunity. For example, when she was asked with a French lord, she said'' oh, God, God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man'', her judgment to that suitor is very tactful, vivid and humorous. Another case, in face of her another suitor- a prince from Morocco who she didn't adore, she just said'' your renowned prince, then stood as fair as...any comer I have looked yet for my affection.'' which really revealed her upbringing and euphemistic tone.

Another symbolic characteristic of Portia is her intelligence and wisdom which are revealed mainly in the court. The duel in the court is the climax of the whole work. When Antonio and Basanio were going to sink into desperation, Portia and Nerissa appeared with disguising themselves as a youthful judge and clerk. Every dukes and gentleman looked so helpless, while Portia had a well-thought- out plan. First, she admitted the legality of cutting off the flesh, and persuaded Shylock to give up unmindfully. Then, she made some illusions and checked out the contact which made Shylock pretty sure about cutting off the flesh. When everybody held their breath, she suddenly pointed out that he must cut off a pond of flesh exactly without a drop of blood, which was a turning point of the whole process. Finally, they won and Shylock got his punishment. During the whole course, Portia was calm, casual, logical, confident, wise and perfect.

As a common woman, she is very beautiful tender, considerate and single- minded. She is talented and prominent, but as a lady, she regarded her husband as the lord. Before their marriage, here is her dialogue:'' yet for you, I would be treble twenty times myself, a thousand times more fair, ten thousand times more rich, that only to stand high in your account, I might in virtues, beauties, friends, livings, exceed account. But the full sum of me, is sum of something which, to term in gross, is an lessoned girl, unschooled, unpracticed. Happy of all...is that her gentle spirit commits itself to yours to be directed...''. What a lovely and moving dialogue! She described herself as an unschooled girl, which means she is innocent about the life after marriage, and expressed she were willing to learn to be a good wife. When Basanio left, she swore that she would live as maids and widows to wait him. All these scenes prove that her nobleness, beauty and portray us an image of gentle and charming woman.