Character of Portia

Name: Pranay
Class: X
Subject: English
School: Future Kids School
 Acknowledgement

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my teacher Anil sir as

well as our principal Saritha mam who gave me the golden opportunity to do this
wonderful project on the topic “Character of Portia “, which also helped me in
doing a lot of Research and I came to know about so many new things I am really
thankful to them.
Secondly I would also like to thank my parents and friends who helped me a lot in
finalizing this project within the limited time frame.
 About Portia

Portia is beautiful, gracious, rich, intelligent, and quick-witted, with luxury lifestyle and high
standards for her potential romantic partners. She is bound by the lottery set forth in her
father's will, which gives potential suitors the chance to choose between three caskets
composed of gold, silver and lead. If they choose the right casket – the casket containing
Portia's portrait and a scroll – they win her hand in marriage. If they choose the incorrect casket,
they must leave and never seek another woman in marriage. Portia is glad when two suitors,
one driven by greed and another by vanity, fail to choose correctly, although she demonstrates
tact to the Princes of Morocco and Arragon, who unsuccessfully seek her hand. She favors
Bassanio, a young Venetian noble, but is not allowed to give him any clues to assist in his choice.
Portia’s character by her opinion on
suitors
 Neapolitan prince

Portia describes the Neapolitan prince as a man who "doth nothing but talk of
his horse" and that "he can shoe him himself" .
With this context we get to know that Portia doesn’ t like people who talk
only about a single thing.
Neapolitan prince
 County Palatine

Portia said,” He doth nothing but frown, as who should say, “An you will not
have me, choose.” He hears merry tales and smiles not. I fear he will prove the
weeping philosopher when he grows old, being so full of unmannerly sadness
in his youth. I had rather be married to a death’s-head with a bone in his mouth
than to either of these. God defend me from these two!”when asked about
County Palatine .
By These words of Portia we can understand that Portia doesn’t like people
who are sad and solemn .She likes people who are active and more interactive.
  French lord, Monsieur le Bon

Portia said ,” He hath a horse better than the Neapolitan’s, a better bad habit
of frowning than the Count Palatine. He is every man in no man. If a throstle
sing, he falls straight a- capering. He will fence with his own shadow. If I should
marry him, I should marry twenty husbands. If he would despise me I would
forgive him, for if he love me to madness I shall never requite him.”
Portia says that Monsieur le Bon has charecters of every other but not his
own. We can realize that she likes a person who has a good charecter of his
own.
Monsieur le Bon
 Falconbridge

Portia said to Nerissa ,” You know I say nothing to him, for he understands not
me, nor I him. He hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian, and you will come into
the court and swear that I have a poor pennyworth in the English. He is a
proper man’s picture, but alas, who can converse with a dumb show? How
oddly he is suited! I think he bought his doublet in Italy, his round hose in
France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behavior everywhere.”
By these words of her we can get to know that she like people who are well
dressed .
Falconbridge
 Scottish lord

Portia said to Nerissa That he hath a neighborly charity in him, for he borrowed
a box of the ear of the Englishman and swore he would pay him again when he
was able. I think the Frenchman became his surety and sealed under for
another. We can come to an understanding that Portia don’t like switching
sides .
Scottish lord
 Duke of Saxony’s nephew

Potia said to Nerissa that he is very vilely in the morning, when he is sober,
and most vilely in the afternoon, when he is drunk. When he is best he is a little
worse than a man, and when he is worst he is little better than a beast. And the
worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.
 Bassanio

Portia shows she is more fond of Bassanio than the other suitors when she
advises him to wait a day or two before making his choice of the three caskets.
She says this because she wants him to choose the right one and become her
spouse. As she puts it
 Prince Of Morocco

Despite her real feelings about the Prince of Morocco, Portia answers him

politely and reassuringly. Since the irony of her words is not apparent to him,
his feelings are spared. She tells him that he is "as fair / As any comer I have
look'd on yet / For my affection." She shows Morocco the honor his rank
deserves.
 Prince of Arragon

Portia seems to believe the prince is obsessed with his horse. He talks about

it incessantly and is very proud he can shoe it himself. Portia mocks
the prince and says she believes his peculiar behavior
Thank you