Portia (The Merchant of Venice)

Portia
The Merchant of Venice character
Kate Dolan as Portia (1886), by John Everett Millais
Created byWilliam Shakespeare

Portia is a female protagonist in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. In creating her character, Shakespeare drew from the historical figure of Porcia[1] — the daughter of Cato the Younger — as well as several parts of the Bible.[2]

Portia is fond of proverbs, frequently quoting them, which was considered a sign of wisdom and intellect in the Elizabethan era. It has been suggested that the character of Portia was based on Queen Elizabeth, who was reigning at the time the play was written, and who also had a penchant for proverbs.[3]

  1. ^ The Merchant of Venice 1.1/172–173, Folger Shakespeare Library
  2. ^ Drakakis 2011, pp. 163–164.
  3. ^ Leimberg 2011.