Portia; Heroin of Venice

Portia is a strong heroine in a play filled with, confused, selfish, niave men. It may seem that she is a controlling female who uses her power to get her way in the world, but she is given a bad rap. Sure she's a bit controlling but how can we blame her, that's how she was brought up, it's part of her upbringing. It's easy to accuse her of prying into her newly husbands life or taking control over something that wasn't any of her concern, but it's possible that like many other heroes and heroines it was done out of love and not an insane need for control. Portia often gets criticized for being strong, independent and assertive but she is being judged on the main fact that she is a woman. Portia isn't abiding by the assumed gender roles of that time and because of this she is turned into a feminist. Portia clearly grew up wealthy and her beauty needs no convincing, "In Belmont is a lady richly left; and she is fair, and fairer than that word, of wondrous virtues" (1.161-163). It make sense that Portia would be filled with confidence and the need to oversee those around her. It is part of her upbringing and she has been doing this since she was a child. It's also clear that she grew up with a father who was also equally if not more controlling. Her father, understanding that she would be judged for her wealth and beauty instead of her character, decided that he would take the reponsibility of choosing her worthy suitor into his own hands. He didn't allow Portia to choose based upon her own emotions or intelligenge and took control of her future. Somehow, Amazingly, he is able to keep control even after his death. So if Portia does have a slight control tendency, is there any wonder where those habits may have come from? Like father, like daughter. Portia goes along with her fathers wishes, but doesn't ignore her own. She is respectable to those around her and we know this because of the way she speaks to her suitors and to Shylock, "Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair as any comer I have look'd on yet for my affection. (2.1.20-22), "Why, this bond is forfeit; and lawfully by this the Jew may claim a pound of flesh, to be by him cut off nearest the merchant's heart. Be merciful: Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond." (4.1.230-4), but it doesn't mean that her want's and needs should be pushed aside for fear of being called controlling. Many of the things she did were done for other people. She went along with the lottery out of respect for her father, even though she clearly didn't agree with it. While Portia and Nerrisa are talking privately, she say's,"But this reasoning is not in the fashion to choose me a husband. O me, the word 'choose!' 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. Is it not hard, Nerissa, that I cannot choose one nor refuse none?" (1.2.21-26). Along with following her Fathers wishes, she dresses as a legal doctor to help her desperate husband and his friend and she even gave Shylock many chances and reasons to choose the money over the bond. Sure in the midst of her "charity work" she did a few things for herself but that's only human. In many of Shakespears plays, a character does crazy things for the sake of love and it is possible that Portia is another example of this. She seems very composed and poised in the begining of the play. Infact she appears to actually lose control of herself when Bassanio is put into the picture. All of her thoughts and desires are now for him. When Bassanio becomes her husband she gives him everything, "I would not be ambitious in my wish, to wish myself much better; yet, for you I would be trebled twenty times myself; A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times more rich" (3.2.151-4). He becomes the center of her world and she even wishes she had more to give him and vows to serve him from then on. In reality once Bassanio and Portia are married Bassanio is given all the control. It's not Portias fault that Bassanio doesn't know how to use it. She is newly married to this man and the first thing he does is take a portion of her money and leaves to save his friend. This shows Bassanios great love for Antonio and Portia clearly wanting a love that strong, if not more, decides to help him. She definitely isn't using her power to get her own way, because if it were her choice, I'm sure she would have rather spent the night consumating her marriage instead of dressing up as a man. She fell in love and was determined to prove it to Bassanio, especially since at that moment it was as if she had to compete with Antonio for Bassanio's love. Portia goes as far as breaking the law by impersonating a lawyer to be sure that Bassanio's trials and tribulations are taken care of. Clearly, Bassanio is prone to getting himself into unfortunate situations and Portia is good at bailing him out, resulting in a perfect match. Most of the manipulation or involvement she had was either to help Bassanio or to have some sort of direction in her own affairs. As we see her do when she hints to Bassanio as to which casket to choose. And all of theses situations again lead back to the main fact that she was in love. To characterize Portia as controlling is completely unfair. She was the Heroine of the play. Without her there would have been death, heartbreak and complete chaos. It wasn't common to see a woman take charge and because if this it is assumed that she stepped out of line and forced herself into affairs that were none of her concern. If it had been the other way around and Bassanio had taken the exact same steps as Portia, his story would have been glorified. It would have been a man who just married the love of his life and after realizing her plight did everything he could to assure her safety and happiness. He would have been praised for his bravery and courage, for his complete selflessness and utter love for his new bride. Since she is a woman instead of bravery, courage and selflessness she is thought of as controlling, selfish and dominating. A complete double standard because men are to be the defender while women wallow in distress. Porta broke the status qoe but at the same time did it respectfully leaving the egos of the many befuddled men intact; aside from Shylock, although she did give him a chance. Every story needs a hero, and in "The Merchant of Venice" we have Bassanio the young, niave, love interest, Antonio the loyal best friend, Shylock the villian and Portia the problem solving, unexpected hero. That's what the hero of the story does, they solve problems, they are the reason for the "happily ever after." If Portia had to be slightly manipulative to make that happen it should be justified beacuse it wasn't done for her own well being but for the welfare of Bassanio and Antonio. It wasn't to get her way in the world or for her own gain, it was to bring order back into a very complicated and ludicrus situation. She grew up with authority, Portia was accustomed to giving orders and getting things done but for the chance of love she was quickly willing to give it all away. Portias emphatic attitude compliments Bassanios undependable nature. Control and power are not her priorities. Love was her priority and her actions can safely be validated for the sake of love. Her conduct may have been a bit unconventional but she was a woman in a mans world, where the two can do the same actions and be judged completely different. In the end it can be said the Portia is not using power to get her way but to right a wrong. It doesn't seem that it's in Portias nature to play the weak maiden in distress but because of this she shouldn't be labled controlling but instead assertive.