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268:
221:, critic Sharon Hamilton categorizes Portia as one of Shakespeare's women who act instead of their (absent) father. Additionally, rather than being subdued by her society's restrictive feminine model, she is "confident, witty, and resourceful." Susan Oldrieve notes that while Portia rebels against patriarchal control, she eventually relents, "partly out of trust and duty, and partly because she finds that it ultimately works to her advantage."
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53:
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255:"), while at the same time intricately linked to moral issues as it possesses the potential to obfuscate distinctions between right and wrong. For example, the abuse of rhetoric skills is brought to light by Portia – highlighting the idea that an unjust argument may win through eloquence, loopholes and
224:
Critics disagree about the extent of help Portia gives
Bassanio in her test, the choosing of the caskets. In 1876, the critic J. Weiss was the first to assert that Portia assists Bassanio. More recent critics that take this view are S. F. Johnson, in "How Many Ways Portia Informs Bassanio's Choice,"
143:
In
Shakespeare's play, Portia is a wealthy heiress in Belmont. She is bound by a lottery outlined in her father's will, which allows potential suitors to choose one of three caskets made of gold, silver, and lead, respectively. If they choose the correct casket containing Portia's portrait and a
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all played Portia in the 18th century when actresses first started appearing on stage in performances of the play. More recently, the role has been depicted in the cinema, on television, and in theatres by a number of notable actresses such as
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Despite her lack of formal legal training, Portia wins her case by referring to the exact language of the law. The tactics she uses are, in modern terms, referred to as a "
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scroll, they win her hand in marriage. Portia is glad when two suitors, one driven by greed and another by vanity, fail to choose correctly. She favors
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155:
Later in the play, she disguises herself as a man and then assumes the role of a lawyer, Balthazar, whereby she saves the life of
Bassanio's friend
1042:
251:. As a vital concept of civic life during the Elizabethan era, rhetoric often indicates an individual's wit (in a way, similar to the modern term "
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363:
was originally known as the Portia Law School when it was established in 1908 as a women-only law school and was known by that name until 1969.
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in court. In the court scene, Portia finds a technicality in the bond, as it does not allow for the removal of blood, thereby outwitting the
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413:-sounding names tend to be more successful in a legal profession than otherwise identical counterparts, is named after the character.
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In the end, Portia and
Bassanio go on to live together along with the former's lady-in-waiting, Nerissa, and her husband, Gratiano.
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244:." These tactics help demonstrate her power in the court, contrasting with her earlier lack of choice in the marriage.
802:
Hicks, Philip (April 2005). "Portia and Marcia: Female
Political Identity and the Historical Imagination, 1770–1800".
233:: The Gentle Bond" (1967) and Corinne S. Abate in "Nerissa Teaches Me What to Believe: Portia's Wifely Empowerment in
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442:
360:
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856:(2001). "Comprehensive Photometry of the Rings and 16 Satellites of Uranus with the Hubble Space Telescope".
551:
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382:, the celebrated Victorian litigant and amateur soprano, was referred to as the "Portia of the Law Courts".
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demanded when everyone else, including the Duke presiding as judge, fails. It is Portia who delivers
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However, such tactics also lead to further discussions about the use and abuse of
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has
Rumpole call Phyllida Erskine-Brown (née Trant) the "Portia of our Chambers".
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The character of Portia has had a considerable and long-lived cultural impact.
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Bloom's
Literature: The Facts on File Companion to Shakespeare, Third Edition
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94:. In creating her character, Shakespeare drew from the historical figure of
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975:'What May Words Say ... ?': A Reading of The Merchant of Venice
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and
Michael Zuckert in "The New Medea: On Portia's Comic Triumph in
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117:. It has been suggested that the character of Portia was based on
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750:(2011). "The Merchant of Venice". In Drakakis, John (ed.).
392:, one of several such named after Shakespearean characters.
814:
Omohundro
Institute of Early American History and Culture
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Martin, John (2004). "Weldon , Georgina (1837–1914)".
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909:(1, A Symposium Issue on "The Merchant of Venice").
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899:Kornstein, Daniel J. (1993). "Fie upon Your Law!".
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505:"Marginalized Voices in "The Merchant of Venice""
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190:It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
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992:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
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602:Crane, William G. (31 December 1937).
482:. Jefferson (N.C.) London: McFarland.
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398:(born Amanda Lee Rogers), married to
184:The quality of mercy is not strained.
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344:"Portia" in letters to her husband,
605:Wit and Rhetoric in the Renaissance
167:and saving Antonio from giving the
27:Character in The Merchant of Venice
102:— as well as several parts of the
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725:Delistraty, Cody (30 July 2014).
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960:from the original on 26 May 2015
942:Kort, Michele (29 August 2005).
352:. John signed his letters with "
57:Kate Dolan as Portia (1886), by
1379:Female Shakespearean characters
1043:Portia (The Merchant of Venice)
173:one of the most famous speeches
805:The William and Mary Quarterly
764:10.5040/9781408160398.00000006
573:. Taylor & Francis Group.
350:president of the United States
1:
1333:All that glitters is not gold
868:American Astronomical Society
608:. Columbia University Press.
1314:The Maori Merchant of Venice
1006:UK public library membership
727:"Who Wins in the Name Game?"
148:, a young but impoverished
1400:
1053:Folger Shakespeare Library
1049:All lines spoken by Portia
550:Rosenblum, Joseph (2022).
443:Folger Shakespeare Library
409:, which states women with
944:"Portia heart & soul"
478:Hamilton, Sharon (2003).
361:New England School of Law
50:
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503:Oldrieve, Susan (1993).
973:Leimberg, Inge (2011).
480:Shakespeare's daughters
219:Shakespeare's Daughters
1369:The Merchant of Venice
1254:The Merchant of Venice
1094:The Merchant of Venice
998:10.1093/ref:odnb/53148
884:10.1006/icar.2001.6596
437:The Merchant of Venice
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227:The Merchant of Venice
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177:The Merchant of Venice
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87:The Merchant of Venice
44:The Merchant of Venice
1248:Le marchand de Venise
911:Cardozo School of Law
756:Bloomsbury Publishing
752:The Arden Shakespeare
569:C. F. Goodey (2016).
270:
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132:
1347:The quality of mercy
1045:at Wikimedia Commons
1014:"Law School History"
748:Shakespeare, William
424:Notes and references
59:John Everett Millais
18:Portia (Shakespeare)
1089:William Shakespeare
876:2001Icar..151...51K
649:New England Law n.d
639:, pp. 275–276.
456:, pp. 163–164.
417:Portia (given name)
329:Cultural references
242:Philadelphia lawyer
92:William Shakespeare
70:William Shakespeare
32:Fictional character
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290:Elizabeth Whitlock
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272:Portia and Shylock
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109:Portia is fond of
98:— the daughter of
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1340:Between you and I
1282:Serenade to Music
1041:Media related to
1016:. New England Law
1004:(Subscription or
854:Karkoschka, Erich
789:Missing or empty
623:978-0-231-89968-0
614:10.7312/cran94640
580:978-1-315-56483-8
489:978-0-7864-1567-0
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1153:Il Pecorone
816:: 265–294.
673:Martin 2004
323:Gemma Jones
237:" (2002).
138:Henry Woods
82:protagonist
1363:Categories
1102:Characters
1008:required.)
954:Here Media
738:19 October
637:Hicks 2005
346:John Adams
263:Portrayals
136:(1888) by
66:Created by
1260:Musical:
1170:On screen
1020:19 August
964:19 August
927:1043-1500
913:: 35–56.
892:0019-1035
870:: 51–68.
838:0043-5597
830:1933-7698
782:cite book
697:Kort 2005
589:33584288M
529:1043-1500
411:masculine
319:Lily Rabe
253:Intellect
125:Character
46:character
1251:(1935);
1119:Bassanio
958:Archived
552:"Portia"
354:Lysander
342:pen name
249:rhetoric
150:Venetian
146:Bassanio
111:proverbs
1325:Related
1298:Shylock
1263:Shylock
1245:Opera:
1239:Shylock
1193:Shylock
1138:Sources
1129:Jessica
1114:Antonio
1109:Shylock
872:Bibcode
846:3491602
718:Sources
369:Rumpole
366:In his
210:(1886)
199:Critics
165:Shylock
157:Antonio
152:noble.
1317:(2002)
1309:(2001)
1306:Yasser
1301:(1996)
1293:(1976)
1285:(1938)
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78:Portia
38:Portia
1230:Music
931:JSTOR
866:(1).
842:JSTOR
826:eISSN
812:(2).
533:JSTOR
274:, by
104:Bible
1221:2004
1217:(TV)
1215:1980
1210:1969
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1200:1953
1187:1923
1182:1916
1177:1914
1022:2015
966:2015
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888:ISSN
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795:help
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