Merchant Of Venice'

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English Literature Coursework                                                                   Mehmoona Nadeem

Coursework Assignment-‘Merchant Of Venice’

     In this piece of work, I am to discuss whether Portia is a modern woman of the sixteenth century. I am aiming to discuss many of her elements, relating and comparing them with the time in which the play is set. I will be looking at what aspects mark her out as a ‘modern’ woman and those that mark her out to be a ‘renaissance’ woman.

     When William Shakespeare wrote, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, he included a female character that leads the play dramatically. In most of Shakespeare's plays, the women have little power and intelligence. In The Merchant of Venice, however, Portia is a woman that saves the life of a man with her wit and intelligence. Portia is one of Shakespeare's great heroes, whose beauty, lively intelligence, and quick wit are very well known in the society in which she lives. She is known throughout the world for her beauty and good qualities, and she is able to handle any situation with her great wit.        Portia is thought of a perfect woman. This is brought forward to us before she appears, as Bassanio describes her to Antonio and says,

‘In Belmont is a lady richly left, / And she is fair and, fairer than that word.’                                                                         Act 1 Scene 1, lines160-170                                                                                                                                                                                                          

     We can say that Portia shows many of the acts of a Renaissance woman. She is not ambitious. We think of her as something that many men would think for an ideal woman. However, with her opening line,

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'my little body is aweary of this great world'                                                                                   Act 1 Scene 2, line 1.

     She becomes human and feminist. Her nature delights us throughout the play. She is a young woman, who describes herself openly, too many people, whether it is the bad side of her or the good.

     Portia has no involvement in ...

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