Portia: Shakespeare’s questionable heroine in the Merchant of Venice

On her first appearance, Portia can be viewed as a quintessential Shakespearean heroine with strength and confidence of personality, as she speaks plainly and honestly to her handmaiden Nerissa, in prose. Discussing the weariness she feels at the circumstance of an arranged marriage bound to her by her late father’s will, Portia can appear to be a candid character to whom a Jacobean and contemporary audience alike can sympathise with. However,  despite this outward appearance of geniality lies an undertone of discriminatory values, where likely Shakespeare’s views and beliefs seep into the narrative. Portia’s ‘comedic’ additions to the dialogue rely heavily on ethnic stereotypes and explicit racism, which counteract this candid light that she is seemed to possess in her opening scene. The comparison of the Prince of Morocco’s complexion to the “devil” furthers this narrative in a way that can be alienating to contemporary audiences. However, whilst this does further the argument that the play is not suitable to be produced in the future, the discrimination shown throughout the piece would not have been out of place to Jacobean audiences. Therefore, whilst this overpowering viewpoint cannot be removed from Portia as a character, it is likely not all that she is and is motivated by. As a Shakespearean heroine, Portia is emboldened by ideas of breaking her duty to her father by contemplating to ignore the binds of his will and marry for love. Thus, she is portrayed as a potential proto-feminist in her strength to defy her father’s will, and her eventual rescuing of the key male figures later on in the play. From this opening scene, her strength of character can be seen through the prominent refusal to accept the role of the submissive daughter, who bends to her father’s will, that the patriarchal system has devised of her and attempts to control her circumstances with the little power she has. Her defiant nature can be seen through the dialogue of her handmaiden, Nerissa, who states that whilst Portia appears to listen to her advice, “[it] would be better, if well followed”, opening up the trope of Shakespeare’s defiant heroine seeking to assert herself in a man’s world and is suggestive of foolishness to Portia’s character that she is not driven enough to enact her father’s will and would rather relish in her playfulness. Indeed, her praise is only “worthy” enough to be placed on Bassanio, who’s closest ally she will prove instrumental in aiding later in the play. However, a contemporary reading of her lines remains uncomfortable and difficult to praise when one recalls the ethnic humour placed at the forefront of her character. Therefore, despite her clear wit and selective goodwill, Portia can be described as nothing more than yet another heavily prejudiced character in this outdated and problematic play.