Portia is one of Shakespeare's best parts for an actress as, apart from being one of the central characters within the main plot of the play; she displays great wit and intelligence. These are assets which none of Shakespeare's other female roles ever had as women who lived around the same time as Shakespeare, were not considered to have such honourable traits.

Portia has many lengthy speeches, and in almost all of theses she displays her great intelligence and wit, either by insulting her hapless suitors or saving her new husband's friend with her extensive knowledge of the Law and the way in which a court-room works.

There are few scenes in which Portia is not involved. These are mainly the opening scene, and the scenes involving the signing of the bond. This seems to show that she has no need to borrow money, therefore it strengthens the fact, which we have already been told, that she is wealthy. We are told this in the opening scene, " In Belmont is a lady richly left". This is also reflected in the scene in which Bassanio tells her of the loan and the bond involved. She says "What, no more?" when she is told of the sum that is to be paid back and tells him to " P

ay him six thousand, and deface the bond; double six thousand and then treble that". This not only shows her to be well off, but generous and kind as well.

Portia gets to prove her wit and knowledge of the Law in the courtroom scene as she dresses as a male lawyer so she may be permitted to enter the court and is instituted as the presiding lawyer in the case. She is allowed to do this as she has letters from another judge which say that she is his trainee and is well learned. She would not be allowed to do this without a decent amount of knowledge of the Law. She proceeds by seeming to side with Shylock and accepting his claims for his rightful forfeit as is stated in the bond. "Why this bond is forfeit; and lawfully by this, the Jew may claim a pound of flesh" Is the section at the start of the scene in which you feel she is going to side with Shylock. Then, at the critical point in which Shylock is just preparing to claim his pound of flesh, appearing to just notice that there is no mention of blood in the bond and casually mention that the bond is void. She brings the whole proceedings to a stop with a quiet, "Tarry, a little". It is obvious that she knew about this through the whole scene and was just stringing Shylock along. She then carries on the charade by not telling her husband, Bassanio, who she is and asks for the ring (which she made him promise not to give to anyone after their wedding) for a reward. She says, (when he offers her a reward for saving his friends life) " And (for your love) I'll take this ring from

Some common words found in the essay are:
Portia Shakespeare's, Antonio Bassanio, central characters, knowledge law, claim pound, pound flesh, main plot play, claim pound flesh, plot play, male characters, main plot, play displays, wit intelligence, six thousand,
Approximate Word count = 1045
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)