How many suitors does portia have

The question may Richard Kuhns and Barbara Tovey well be raised, as to why, if this is so, the suitors are depicted in such derogatory terms. We suggest that one very potent way in which to express the deepest gratitude and admiration is by means of a loving insult. This technique ofexpressing affection and indebtedness to one's literary mentors Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide.

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Without cookies your experience may not be seamless. Institutional Login. Shakespeare introduces the audience to Romeo, a son of Lord Montague, whos House is involved in an ancient feud with the House of Capulet. Briefly, Romeo divulges to his friend Benvolio that he has a profound and absorbing love for Rosaline, but his love is unrequited. Romeo talks about the brawl that had previously taken place between the two families, and knows that love and hate are closely related to each other.

It is a tragedy, similar in a way to the likes of the famous Romeo and Juliet, as there is a definite romance in the play, which quickly turns sour, due to lack of trust and jealousy, or as some might think, the tragedy is all down to manipulation and deceit.

The play deals with many controversial issues such as racism which makes it unique. In Act III Scene 3 Iago convinces a man who loves his wife completely that she is having an affair with one of his most trusted subjects without using one shred of proof or any real basis.

This is a man who can make the most innocent of people guilty and the most loved, hated. He is trying to measure love in a The process through the book has seen Lear go from an arrogant ruler to a "bare, unacommadated man" and "despised old man. Even if we measure up the sins by and sins committed against Lear we cannot say that, "I am a man more sinned against than sinning," is completely true.

His pride made him think that flattery is love thus he gave everything to Goneril and Regan. This was his biggest mistake, leaving him completely dependent upon his two hateful daughters.

He kicked Cordellia out so there is no hope of him being helped now. Othello, who seems to intrinsically believe that as a public figure he is fated to be unsuccessful at marriage, is torn between his love for Desdemona and the possibility that she is having an affair with Michael Cassio.

This particular passage comes at a juncture after he denies that this could be true, and before he is finally convinced of his wife's infidelity. He explains his thoughts on each of the caskets as he reads the inscriptions on them. He says the lead casket is not worth hazarding everything for and quickly dismisses it.

He exposes his secret fear that he does not deserve Portia. He considers silver not to be grand enough for Portia and dismisses this casket also. His choice can be explained by the fact that it is only his royal blood and his fortune that lends him respect from the people of Venice. His riches are very important to him.

From this we can say that Morocco represents sensual love, a desire for physical pleasures as oppose to those of the mind. This means Morocco judges on outward appearances. His arrogance and pride are shown through his choice of casket and his reaction to choosing the wrong casket. He does not even stop to contemplate the lead casket saying only that it would have to look more attractive for him to hazard anything for it. The silver casket is the one that appeals to him the most because he feels that no one deserving should go unmerited.

His arrogance leads him to assume that he is worthy of Portia. Before he opens the casket he says, I will assume dessert? First, it outlines the device of the caskets for us, which will provide the dramatic basis for the scenes in which the various suitors "hazard" their choice of the proper casket for Portia's hand in marriage. Second, it introduces us to Portia — not simply as the "fair" object of Bassanio's love, but as a woman of powerful character and wit, perceptive about the people around her and quite able to hold her own in verbal combat with anyone in the play.

This is a very important quality, given Portia's subsequent importance in the development of the plot. Her brilliance much later in the play, as a result, will not come as a surprise to the audience, especially when she superbly outwits the crafty Shylock.

Finally, there is a minor but significant touch toward the end of the scene, when Nerissa asks Portia whether or not she remembers a certain "Venetian, a scholar and a soldier" who had earlier visited Belmont. First, we hear Portia's immediate recall of Bassanio, indicating her vivid memory of him and implying an interest in him. This scene reminds us that, despite the obstructions to come, this is a comedy, and that because of Bassanio's attempt to win Portia and her affection for him, both of them will be finally rewarded.

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