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The Merchant of Venice

by William Shakespeare

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Roles and Comparisons of Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica in The Merchant of Venice

Summary:

In The Merchant of Venice, Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica defy societal constraints and stereotypes. Portia is a strong, intelligent heiress who challenges her father's will and disguises herself as a lawyer to save Antonio, showcasing her legal acumen. Nerissa, as Portia's confidante, provides practical support and also adopts a male disguise. Jessica, Shylock's daughter, rebels by eloping with Lorenzo and converting to Christianity. Their disguises enable them to surpass their male counterparts in intelligence and resourcefulness, highlighting their strength and independence in a patriarchal society.

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Compare and contrast Portia, Jessica, and Nerissa in The Merchant of Venice.

Portia is the classic example of a Shakespearean heroine: witty, beautiful, and wealthy. The heir to her late father's fortune, she is a free spirit who openly rejects the rules and blazes her own path. Though her father set up a bizarre lottery to ensure his daughter marries, Portia is determined to make her own choices. She also possesses a stunning knowledge of the law, appearing in a courtroom disguised as a man while perfectly applying it. Her greatest weakness as a character is the fact that she is a woman in her society, but she refuses to let that stop her. Shakespeare makes it clear that Portia is much more than a beautiful woman with access to wealth; she is strong, resourceful, and intelligent.

Turning to Jessica, she is Shylock's only daughter and breaks his heart when she leaves him to marry Lorenzo, a Christian. Shylock seems quite cruel towards his daughter. Whenever they're onstage together, he's giving her orders and commands her to remain inside. Though we may understand why Jessica fled and eloped, she does seem cold at times. She trades her late mother's ring for a monkey after she elopes with Lorenzo.

Shakespearean women often have another woman by their side. For Juliet, it was her Nurse. Ophelia was Queen Gertrude's lady-in-waiting in Hamlet. Desdemona had Emilia. In The Merchant of Venice, Portia has Nerissa. Nerissa is highly respectful of Portia but also gives her quite a lot of tough love. She listens to Portia complain about her father's contest to win her hand, but ultimately tells her she should be thankful that her father has secured her future. She seems practical, especially when she agrees to marry Graziano so that Portia can marry Bassanio.

We have here a tale of three women: the brazen, beautiful Portia; the shrewd and rebellious Jessica; and the practical, quiet Nerissa. The women all have one thing in common: they're women working against the constraints of their society, although some are more willing to rebel than others. While each of the women faces her own challenges, they each react to them in different ways. Portia blatantly resists, Jessica is shrewd and disobedient, and Nerissa does what she can to help Portia.

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How do Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica defy stereotypes of submissiveness and powerlessness in The Merchant of Venice?

In Act 1, Scene 2, Portia questions the extreme conditions of her father's will. This would be a rare occurrence at the time, for a daughter was not supposed to question whatever a father decided for her; she should be subservient. Questioning or doubting his decisions was regarded as disrespectful and was frowned upon. Portia tells Nerissa, her maid in waiting,

But this reasoning is not in the fashion to
choose me a husband. O me, the word 'choose!' I may
neither choose whom I would nor refuse whom I
dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed
by the will of a dead father. Is it not hard,
Nerissa, that I cannot choose one nor refuse none?

Another aspect of her speech also indicates her desire for the freedom to choose a life-partner, instead of having to submit to her father's instruction. In the paternalistic society of the time, a father's word was law and should be obeyed — a daughter (especially in esteemed society) did not marry for love. Marriages were arranged affairs in which the father was the chief negotiator. Portia's disapproval is, in this instance, a break from her assigned role of servile and unquestioning acquiescence.   

Clearly, Portia feels she is an unwilling victim of her father's wishes. She does not have a choice, though, for she will be disowned if she does not obey the instructions in her father's will. Her obedience is, therefore, born out of practical necessity — she would rather follow his instruction than be left destitute.  

Another quote in which Portia breaks from convention is found in Act 4, Scene 2, when she decides to visit Venice in disguise to help Antonio:

When we are both accoutred like young men,
I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two,

Portia decides she and Nerissa will go to Venice disguised as men. This act would have been condemned at the time since it was expected that ladies of stature were supposed to be just that — ladies, who were demure and feminine. Any sign of manliness would be seriously criticized. It was practically taboo for a woman to misrepresent herself in such a way.

In Act 5, Scene 1, Portia tells Bassanio,

I will become as liberal as you;
I'll not deny him any thing I have,
No, not my body nor my husband's bed:
Know him I shall, I am well sure of it:
Lie not a night from home; watch me like Argus:
If you do not, if I be left alone,
Now, by mine honour, which is yet mine own,
I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow.

This statement by Portia would evoke exclamations of shock and horror at any time and even more so during such a conservative period, where the stereotypical woman, especially if she was of the upper class, was expected to be humble, quiet, and respectful. Portia's unexpectedly provocative declaration that she would give her all, even her body, and sleep with another man whilst married, would surely have produced a surprised response. 

In Nerissa's case, her open and confidential relationship with Portia is certainly a break from the norm. Serving women were supposed to be respectful to their mistresses at all times. They were supposed to show a servile obedience. Nerissa, however, speaks to Portia as an equal.

You need not fear, lady, the having any of these
lords: they have acquainted me with their
determinations; which is, indeed, to return to their
home and to trouble you with no more suit.

Although Nerissa's tone is quite respectable, she comes across more as an advisor and confidante. Her direct address would have been deemed inappropriate in Shakespearean society. She would be observed as 'putting on airs' — acting out of her station and taking privileges she was not supposed to have.

When she later decides to marry without having undergone the normal traditional practice of having a husband chosen for her, Nerissa again breaks from the norm. Gratiano tells Bassanio in Act 3, Scene 2,

I got a promise of this fair one here
To have her love, provided that your fortune
Achieved her mistress.

She has promised marriage to Gratiano and set the conditions as well. She would marry him if Bassanio successfully chose the right casket. Normally the bride was not entitled to set any conditions. 

Her decision to later follow Portia and dress as a man and make a similar threat as Portia's to Bassanio sets her apart as a woman who knows and speaks her own mind. She is clearly also the one who takes the lead in their relationship, which was quite unconventional. She tells Gratiano in Act 5, Scene 2,

And I his clerk; therefore be well advised
How you do leave me to mine own protection.

This ties in with Portia's statement that she would sleep with the 'lawyer' who defended Antonio. She promises to do the same with the lawyer's clerk.

Jessica's decision to disobey her father, Shylock, is a clear break from tradition. As mentioned earlier, a daughter was supposed to obey her father's every instruction, whether she liked it or not. She takes the drastic step of eloping with a Christian, someone she knows her father will despise. She takes the risk of being disowned. Her decision is made clear in the following lines from Act 1, scene 2:

O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife.

It is also surprising that Jessica refers to living with her father as a 'strife.' Daughters were expected to be loving and loyal to their fathers and appreciate them, no matter what. She would have been deemed ungrateful, ungracious, and disgraceful. 

Jeesica's decision to be disguised as a boy, Lorenzo's torchbearer, is, similar to Portia and Nerissa's actions, an oddity. It was unacceptable for a woman to want to look like a man. In such a society, women were meant to be pleasing to the eye, graceful, and true to their gender. Although Jessica expresses some embarrassment about her attire, she is driven by her desire for Lorenzo and does what is needed.

I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much ashamed of my exchange:
But love is blind and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit.

Probably the most drastic of all Jessica's actions in her bid for freedom from her father's control is her rejection of his religion. The fact that she adopts Lorenzo's faith and denies her own is surely a sign that she wishes to make a clean break from Shylock. For a woman of the time to take such a step was extremely rare indeed. She informs Launcelot of this in Act 3, Scene 5:

I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a
Christian.

Her contention is that she will not only be saved from her father's control but she would also be rescued in a spiritual sense.

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How effective are Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica's disguises as men in The Merchant of Venice?

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, three female characters dress as men, one so that she can be with her beloved and two others so that they can save Antonio from Shylock. All three are quite successful in their endeavors and end up getting exactly what they want. Let's look at this in more detail.

Jessica disguises herself as a boy in order to run away with Lorenzo. She isn't especially thrilled about it because she hates how she looks as a boy torchbearer, and she doesn't want anyone to see her like that. But she goes ahead with it anyway, and she and Lorenzo make it away from Jessica's father, Shylock, to safety together.

Portia and her maid, Nerissa, also dress as men, but for a different reason. Antonio cannot repay Shylock the money he has allowed Bassanio to borrow in his name, and now, Shylock is demanding a pound of flesh in payment of debt. Portia and Nerissa disguise themselves as a lawyer and clerk, respectively, and Portia proceeds to foil Shylock's plan. Portia logically argues that the contract may stipulate a pound of flesh, but it says nothing about blood. Therefore, Shylock can have his pound of Antonio's flesh, but he cannot spill any blood in the process, or he will be acting against the law and will be liable to lose all he has. Shylock says that he will settle for money, but Portia insists he follow the contract.

All ends well with Portia and Nerissa revealing their identities after successfully defending Antonio (and saving him from a very unpleasant experience). These ladies are both clever and bold, and they have won the day for their men.

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How are women (Portia, Jessica, Nerissa) represented in The Merchant of Venice?

Each of the three women characters in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice demonstrates the strength of character and the indomitable spirit that enables them to overcome the limitations imposed on them by the male-dominated, 16th-century societies of Italy (where the play is set) and England (where the play was written).

Portia is a wealthy, beautiful, intelligent heiress who lives in the idyllic hilltop town of Belmont, located not far from Venice.

Nerissa is Portia's "waiting woman" or lady-in-waiting, which is to say that Nerissa is Portia's personal assistant, companion, counselor, confidant, and, when necessary, Portia's "partner-in-crime."

Jessica is the money-lender Shylock's daughter and only child.

Portia no doubt realized her own worth from an early age. Her life is one of wealth and privilege, and aside from being a woman, she's been taken seriously throughout her life because of her elevated status in society.

Nerissa, not afraid to speak truth to power, takes Portia to task, however, for taking herself and her privileged status a little too seriously.

The first time the audience sees Portia, in act 1, scene 2, she's complaining about the way life is treating her.

PORTIA. By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is a-weary of this great world.

NERISSA.You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries were in the same abundance as your good fortunes are; and yet, for aught I see, they are as sick that surfeit with too much, as they that starve with nothing. (1.2.1–6)

Since her father's death, Portia has managed the estate he left to her quite well on her own. She's well-regarded in the community and highly sought after by many—if vacuous and insufferable—suitors, who seek her hand in marriage and who are willing to submit to her father's strict requirements in order to obtain that hand.

Jessica, long dominated by her father and subject to his strict, if not oppressive upbringing, has only recently discovered her self-worth. She is determined to separate herself from Shylock and live her own life.

JESSICA. Alack, what heinous sin is it in me,
To be asham'd to be my father's child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners: O Lorenzo!
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife;
Become a Christian, and thy loving wife. (2.3.16–21)

Although Jessica elicits compassion from the audience for Shylock's treatment of her, she also elicits a certain level of antipathy for her treatment of him. When she elopes with penniless Lorenzo, she not only betrays Shylock and demonizes his religion, but she also steals Shylock's money and a turquoise ring given to him by Jessica's late mother.

Portia remains loyal to her father by honoring his wishes and submitting to the conditions he imposed on her with regard to her marriage, but Portia, too, is not without her own faults. She exhibits a deep-seated racial bigotry. Her remarks about the Prince of Morocco, one of her suitors, are clearly racially motivated.

PORTIA. ... [I]f he have the condition of a saint and the
complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me [hear her confession]
than wive me. (1.2.115–117)

When the Prince later chooses the wrong casket, Portia is happy to see his hopes of marriage to her go unfulfilled.

PORTIA. A gentle riddance:—Draw the curtains, go;—
Let all of his complexion choose me so. (2.7.79–80)

There is also the matter of having once declared "The quality of mercy is not strain'd" (4.1.87) and demanding that Shylock show mercy towards Antonio, Portia leads the court in humiliating the vanquished Shylock—destroying his livelihood, ruining him financially, and forcing him to accept Christianity.

The way to be taken seriously in a male-dominated society is to be a man, or pretend to be a man, which is what Portia, Jessica, and Nerissa do. Portia disguises herself as a lawyer and Nerissa disguises herself as Portia's law clerk to effect justice for Antonio. Jessica disguises herself as a page to escape Shylock's parental tyranny.

The racial bigotry that Portia expresses is the same racial bigotry a man might express, and the punishments that Portia imposes on Shylock are the same vengeful retributions that a man might impose on him—particularly a man in Italy or England in the late 16th century.

Speaking about Christians's treatment of Jews, Shylock remarked, "The villainy you teach me I will execute; and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction" (3.1.62–64), meaning that he will treat the Christian characters even worse than they treated him. Portia demonstrates this same attitude about men's treatment of women, and her cruelty towards Shylock reflects the discrimination she faces as a woman. In fact, she "betters the instruction" by treating Shylock worse than she herself has been treated by men. In this way, Portia certainly betters the instruction, but whether she bettered her character is less certain.

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Do Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica in The Merchant of Venice surpass their male counterparts after transforming into men?

In The Merchant of Venice, Portia and Nerissa assume male identities so they can help Antonio and Bassanio out of a difficult legal situation. Nerissa is also motivated by her loyalty to her mistress and love for Gratiano. Jessica disguises herself as a page so she elope with Lorenzo.

William Shakespeare draws a contrast between their motivations and actions. The first two women take on the new roles because they want to help others, while Jessica is selfishly pursuing her own desires. Portia and Nerissa seem superior to Bassanio and Gratiano in many ways, but Jessica may be seen as less honorable or at best equal to Lorenzo.

Portia adopts the identity of the lawyer Balthazar, while Nerissa poses as his clerk. In this capacity, Portia reveals herself an accomplished lawyer as well as a compassionate person. The superiority of the women to their partners is shown through the men’s cavalier behavior in giving away their supposedly cherished rings as well as in the women’s forgiving attitudes when the men must admit their mistakes. Jessica is a disloyal daughter and a thief, which apparently makes Lorenzo superior to her; however, he has his own faults, as he participates in their elopement and encourages her to abandon her faith as well as her father.

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