KNOW MOREOK. A friend of Bassanios who accompanies him to Belmont. Despite her submissive and humble attitude towards Bassanio, Portia proves to be a little more superior of the two and is capable of being a strong adversary to her foe. Shakespeare never really answers this question, leaving the reader to decide themselves. While they are married the old lady has these talks with the knight about being a respectful and accepting her as her: No shame in poverty if the heart is gay, As seneca and all learned say./Lastly you taxed me with being old.Yet even if you never have been told by ancient books, you gentlemen engage,yourselves in honour to respect old age(290).The knight becomes ashamed of her for all her flaws, but the old lady tells him that this should not matter to him and being a knight these virtues should be obvious to him. She both despises her father and feels sorrow for him, saying I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so; Our house is hell, and thou a merry devil didst rob it of some taste of tediousness(II.3.1-3). That gives you a comparison of tire performance on dry and wet roads, snow and off-road. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Antonio is something of a mercurial figure, often inexplicably melancholy and, as Shylock points out, possessed of an incorrigible dislike of Jews. Shylock tells his daughter, an angel were you, that did preserve me, showing the central role Jessica plays in Shylocks life. Angered by his mistreatment at the hands of Venices Christians, particularly Antonio, Shylock schemes to eke out his revenge by ruthlessly demanding as payment a pound of Antonios flesh. O my daughter! Latest answer posted February 01, 2021 at 4:15:02 PM. Shakespeare has conveyed Jessica as a much more submissive character which becomes evident greatly through her marriage scene. Portias relationship with her recently deceased father was full of respect and, O my daughter! As we see later in the play, this decision, perhaps unavoidable, will have a great affect on Shylock and the entire story. She is quite a contrast to Portia who respects her dead fathers will and married according to her wishes. Compare and Contrast a)Antonio and Shylock b) Portia and Jessica Compare and contrast their characteristics. It doesn't get hinder / It doesn't get hindered. The prince of Morocco asks Portia to ignore his dark countenance and seeks to win her by picking one of the three caskets. How would you describe and analyze the Prince of Arragon in The Merchant of Venice? Wealth, therefore, has a flimsy grasp on romance that can easily be overcome with genuine affection. Disclaimer. Shakespearean women often have another woman by their side. She didnt even bother to think about her fathers emotions. Lancelot describes her as the "most beautiful pagan, most sweet Jew" (II.iii.11-12). A Jew in Venice, and one of Shylocks friends. We will occasionally send you account related emails. Latest answer posted December 04, 2020 at 10:50:33 AM. After all that he had sacrificed, to lead for his family a Jewish lifestyle in spite of the dangerous implications of doing so, Shylock would not allow his daughter fall to the hands of Christianity. Compare and contrast is a rhetorical style that discusses the similarities and differences of two or more things: ideas, concepts, items, places, etc. On the other hand, Portia remains loyal to her father even after his death. She converted herself from a Jew into a Christian through her marriage to Lorenzo. Portia's father absolutely adores Portia and he wishes for the best possible husband for her. Already a member? Surprisingly, Nance pursues Samuel by isolating him, and she changes the patterns of courtship, culture, and class. As the play concludes, the reader begins to see how intrinsically different Jessica and Portia really are. On the other hand, Bassanio is a typical romantic hero who is chivalrous and gallant, although part of Bassanios motive for wooing Portia is to pay off his debts referring the trip to Belmont to woo Portia as a secret pilgrimage, thus making Portia into a goddess. Petruchio is not an awful husband, because he is not forceful. This strengthens the concept of Shylock being a heartless villain because his child feels she must leave without a word of her desires. There are some traits of Portias and Jessicas personality that are in sharp contrast with each other . It gives an understanding as to the reason for the constant contention seen between Shylock and his daughter. The men in the early society had bigger roles than women. Shylock was a Jew, but Jessica eloped with a Christian in spite of knowing that her father hated Christians. Like the unsuccessful love stories of the past, Jessica and Lorenzos love is fated to be a failure, while Portia and Bassanios love will flourish. Compare and contrast Portia and Jessica in The Merchant of Venice. The old lady makes a condition with this knight and they get married but he did not want to marry her. Queries asked on Sunday & after 7 pm from Monday to Saturday will be answered after 12 pm the next working day. Portia and Bassanio's relationship seems to be more equal. Give views on the state of - 52012831. ashvnchgbnvfdnlgjd ashvnchgbnvfdnlgjd 24.05.2022 English Secondary School answered Please add some more in itbecause i need it for 6 marks.. Portia is a very resourceful character of the play The Merchant of Venice. Discuss the statement with illustrations. Free trial is available to new customers only. 3. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! However, they differ from one another in many aspects. Bassanios servant. Compare and contrast Venice and Belmont. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. All rights reserved. She wants total autonomy while selecting a groom, complaining to Nerissa, I may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike, so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father(I.2.22-24). Thus, Jessica's belovedness suggests that Shylock's . Before his death, Portias father added a condition to his will, stating that his daughter could only be married to the suitor who selected one of three caskets. Portia's understanding of mercy is based on the way Christians in Shakespeare's time understood the difference between the Old and New Testaments. Portia is uncharacteristically hesitant and anxious immediately before Bassanios casket scene, revealing the pressure and the tenderness of her feelings for him, and her anxiety not to lose him. You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser. Bassanios love for the wealthy Portia leads him to borrow money from Shylock with Antonio as his guarantor. Compare and contrast the character traits between Jessica and Portia as depicted in the play The Merchant of Venice. Introducing them the caskets play a powerful dramatic significance to the play as it helps justify the mindset of her [], Merchant of Venice is a play written by William Shakespeare in the 1600s. A Jewish moneylender in Venice. When Jessica successfully elopes with her Christian lover Lorenzo, stealing her fathers gold and jewels on the way out, Shylock is equally upset about the loss of his daughter as his is about the loss of his money. 20% SparkNotes PLUS He has lost gold, jewels, his daughter, and finally, the ability to continue the family name in the form of a grandchild. It is these choices, along with others, which play an important role in the conclusion of the play. What is the significance of much of the play taking place in Venice? As the couple prepares to flee Venice, Jessica tells her fianc O Lorenzo, if thou keep promise, I shall end this strife, become a Christian and thy loving wife(II.3.19-21)! (begin: I would). Portia was so devoted to her father that she decided to sacrifice her life by marrying the person who chose the right casket even if she didnt like him. Both of them are bold and dare to exercise their own will in matters of importance. Similar to Lancelots situation, Jessica is ashamed of connected to Shylock by blood. 2) Jessica is not Afraid or ashamed of breaking her fathers trust on her. Unlike Portia, Jessica disempowered her father by stealing and distorting his hopes by escaping with a Christian. Therefore, women has to base themselves on and listen to their men. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Although Portia is a strong, independent woman, her filial loyalty is unshakeable and, although she may try to. The question is asking you to find out how these characters are opposites of each other. These contradictions, and his eloquent expressions of hatred, have earned Shylock a place as one of Shakespeares most memorable characters. Far and away the most clever of the plays characters, it is Portia, in the disguise of a young law clerk, who saves Antonio from Shylocks knife. Dont have an account? Please wait while we process your payment. On the other hand, Portia remains loyal to her father even after his death. Shakespeare makes it clear that Portia is much more than a beautiful woman with access to wealth; she is strong, resourceful, and intelligent. Ophelia was Queen Gertrude's lady-in-waiting in Hamlet. On the night she leaves she says with little remorse Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost, I have a father, you a daughter, lost. This shows that her childhood was not happy and that she was ashamed to be her fathers daughter. Jessica lives in Belmont while Portia lives in Venice.Both Portia and Antonio display their loyalty towards Bassanio, as his wife and dearest friend respectively. When Lancelot talks to her about running away and become a Christian mans servant, Jessica wishes to end this strife [and] /Become a Christian (2.3.19-20). Her profound guilt and strict upbringing as a Jewish female are revealed in the conversation between herself and Lorenzo: In the early days, the role of woman has been confined by a man because their jobs are to get marry, have children, and most depend on their husbands. Joy filled her home and she was very excited for what would become of her life with this man she had heard much of but truly knew little of. Portias love for Bassanio is obvious and she makes little attempt at neutrality. Shakespeare struck a fine balance of love, romance, and comedy in the play The Merchant of Venice. Jessica was not a good daughter. Shakespeare allows Portias character to demonstrate further intelligence by introducing her to state that Clerk draw a deed of gift. Portias father, on the other hand, has experienced years of unscrupulous people, eager to get a piece of his fortune. Study Guides; Q & A; Lesson Plans; . Jessica is a Jew and hence Shakespeare portrays her as a controlled character with low self-esteem. Why did Portias father devise the casket contest? Shylock holds Jessica hostage, a mere possession to be counted amongst the rest of his fortune. The ruler of Venice, who presides over Antonios trial. What is the significance of these distinct settings in The Merchant of Venice? Morocco carefully inspects all of the caskets then chooses the golden casket. Bound by a clause in her fathers will that forces her to marry whichever suitor chooses correctly among three caskets, Portia is nonetheless able to marry her true love, Bassanio. I have some info on Portia and Nerissa, but require info on a foil relationship between: Nerrisa/Jessica,and Portia/Jessica. The strained relationship between Shylock and Jessica, and the relationship between Portia and her deceased father, further illustrate the demanding and unwavering standards set by the patriarchal society of Shakespeare's time. Bassanios loyalty and responsibility is once again emphasised in the trial scene, where he refuses to give away his wedding ring. Subscribe now. Anybody (is, are) able to type (his/her. Both cross-dress to signify freedom they like to exercise. Site Copyright 2000-2004 Jalic LLC. Justice! $24.99 Portia is as faultless as one could imagine. Bassanios love and loyalty for Portia is shown here as well, when Bassanio tried hard not to give Balthasar his trifle ring and refuses on the grounds that his wife had told him he must never part with it. Portia is the classic example of a Shakespearean heroine: witty, beautiful, and wealthy. All she could say of him was that he was physically tall, handsome and had deep blue eyes with dark brown hair. Jessica proves to be vain and extravagant in spending her fathers money. Compare and contrastthe two characters Portia and Bassanio. Why does Shylock demand Antonios flesh instead of money? Her spouse married her for her dowry, and he does not rightly love her. Portia was so devoted to her father that she decided to sacrifice her life by marrying the person who chose the right casket even if she didnt like him. Some posts may contain affiliate links. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Why do Portia and Nerissa trick Bassanio and Gratiano into giving away their rings? She converted herself from a Jew into a Christian through her marriage to Lorenzo. 3) Jessica shows her embarrassment on her boys disguise while eloping with Lorenzo but Portia talks of her plan to dress like a boy with excitement, i.e., she is not at all shy. The Merchant of Venice is a play that focuses on love and revenge in a world of religious intolerance between the Christian and Jewish population of [], According to the evidence we have, it seems Shakespeare wrote his plays exclusively to be performed. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Log in here. She was unfaithful to her religion too. Though we may understand why Jessica fled and eloped, she does seem cold at times. She also stole her fathers ducats and jewellery. However, they differ from one another in many aspects. Differences Between Poria and Jessica in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice There are many similarities and differences between Portia and Jessica. By clicking Continue, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. Disembodied Letters and The Merchant of Venice, How to Read The Merchant of Venice Without Being Heterosexist, Act II, Scenes 1-9: Questions and Answers, Act III, Scenes 1-5: Questions and Answers, Act IV, Scenes 1-2: Questions and Answers. Portias servant, whom she dispatches to get the appropriate materials from Doctor Bellario. Your problem lies in a misunderstanding or miscommunication of foil. The Merchant of Venice has multiple plots dealing with divergent issues. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! Shylock is trapped when Portia quietly points out that the bond doth give thee here no jot of blood and if he spills one drop of Christian blood in the process of cutting a pond of flesh from Antonio, his lands and goods will be forfeited to the state. My ducats and my daughter(II.8.15-18)! MCQ How can Bassanio and Gratiano be compared to modern Jasons. His lavishness and carefree personality is also evident from the way he agrees to help Gratiano (You have obtained it), without knowing what the favour is. O my ducats! Read More. In Act 2 Scene 4 Jessica decides to leave her father and her home to elope with a Christian man Lorenzo. Jessica's uneasiness at going into male disguise could suggest a worry about the deeper change she is making in her nature. However, Bassanio, ever the gambler, insists on selecting immediately. The term "foodie" emerged on the Internet to refer to people with gourmet sensibilities. Qs: Is above sentence, grammatically right? The lack of power she has in this world because she is a Jewess. The law! Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. We also compare tire comfort in terms of noise and softness. Her action is quite heartless. She becomes just like the jewels and gold he owns, another possession he can keep locked away. Theyre in tune with each other, but Adriana takes her line from her and begins her own monologue, as if interrupting her sister. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Salarino escorts the newlyweds Jessica and Lorenzo to Belmont, and returns with Bassanio and Gratiano for Antonios trial. Sheconverted herself from a Jew into a Christian through her marriage to Lorenzo. The heir to her late father's fortune, she is a free spirit who openly rejects the rules and blazes her own path. Although seen by the rest of the play's characters as an inhuman monster, Shylock at times diverges from stereotype and . He explains to her whatever she wants to do he will submit: And have i won the mastery? Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper. This power reversal shows that in Shakespeares society, status of religion is regarded more highly than financial stature and pre-set societal gender roles, and can be the most easily targeted for dehumanization. The central romantic relationship of the play is that between Bassanio and Portia. Answer: Jessica is set on marrying Lorenzo while Portia wants to marry Bassanio. Antonio has more money than Bassanio, but they are social equals. Their marriage is more of a transaction which follows more closely Lucianas outlook on marriage. 1. Draw a comparison between the two female characters Portia and Jassica in William Shakespeares play The Merchant of Venice. Portia's relationship with her recently deceased father was full of respect and love, whereas Jessica didn't like her father and thought he was rude. Throughout the play, she exhibits wit, resourcefulness, complete love for Bassanio and generosity towards friends. Portias wit is again shown in the trial scene, where she cleverly got Shylock to reject in open court both the idea of mercy and the idea of money as alternatives to the pound of flesh. She was unfaithful to her religion too. After less than a month of living with her father, his wives find the perfect opportunity to remove Mariam from the household which simultaneously abolishes the last trace of her fathers scandalous mistake of an affair with his housekeeper, Mariams mother. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before, Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts. *One thematic issue raised in 'An Angel in Disguise' is that there was little. Both cross-dress to signify freedom they like to exercise. She knew they were distant relatives, but that was not an issue for it was normal at the time to marry a distant relative due to the seclusion of their. Said she, since i'm to choose and rule as i think fit? Welcome to Sarthaks eConnect: A unique platform where students can interact with teachers/experts/students to get solutions to their queries. We have here a tale of three women: the brazen, beautiful Portia; the shrewd and rebellious Jessica; and the practical, quiet Nerissa. She even gives away her mothers ring in exchange for a monkey. The Turquoise Ring gives depth to Shylocks character by providing insight into his relationship with his daughter Jessica. He schemes to help Jessica escape from her fathers house, and he eventually elopes with her to Belmont. After discovering this, Shylock cries out, "My daughter, O my ducats, O my daughter!" As a common theme in the works of William Shakespeare, suffering in the name of love also applies to the two heroines of The Merchant of Venice. While Portias father is obviously looking out for his daughters best interests when he writes the addendum to his will, the same can not necessarily be said for Shylocks maniacal behavior. Portia was the main character of (a) Quality of Mercy (b) Compassion (c) The Merchant of Venice. We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. So they were both treated equally amongst society for being women. One main difference between both woman is that Jessica is Jewish, and Portia is Christian. Portia's family seems far better off than Jessica's financially. He is a spendthrift that as soon as he gets the money he needs, he immediately organises expensive evenings entertainment for himself and his friends. The third casket is dull lead and says who chooses me will give and gamble all he has. Let's fix your grades together! While each of the women faces her own challenges, they each react to them in different ways. Though she feels that her freedom of choosing a husband is restricted by her fathers will, she still obeys her fathers will. In this scenario she gives him two choices for the fate of their marriage. To marry Portia, Bassanio must first challenge the casket test and choose one out of three caskets correctly. Why do the other merchants detest Shylock? This is not an example of the work written by professional essay writers. Angered by his mistreatment at the hands of Venice's Christians, particularly Antonio, Shylock schemes to eke out his revenge by ruthlessly demanding as payment a pound of Antonio's flesh. First Floor, Empire Complex, 414 Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra India 400013. Compose a story within 150 words with the help of the begining line- GGI started to write the story but writing Some how I was unable to concentrate & It is at this point that Portia realizes her fathers intentions are pure, as she is destined to be with the one she had always wanted. Both cross-dress to signify freedom they like to exercise. This proves that he is a deeper, more thoughtful and sensitive character rather than a shallow, mercenary socialite which we are led to believe at the beginning of the play. All rights reserved. The fact that Jessica appears with `page's suit she hath in readiness' emphasizes that she is disguised as a servant.