TJ Ram
A-Option 4: Dialogue
10/18/14
Shakespeare uses irony and persuasive language during the dialogue between Nerissa and Portia to outline Portia’s upper class outlook on her issues with her suitors.Shakespeare opens up the scene with Portia’s ironic quote, “By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world. (1.2.1-2)” Portia is complaining that her life is hard because so many men are in love with her and want to marry her, and Shakespeare’s use of irony highlights Portia’s spoilt attitude; for one must be very fortunate to complain of being “too desired.” Shakespeare uses Nerissa as a reality check for Portia, and she reminds Portia, “You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries were in the same abundance as your fortunes. (1.2.3-5)” Her point is thatPortia’s “struggles” are not struggles in the larger scheme;and that many women are not fortunate enough to have multiple men of status wanting her hand in marriage. In the following passage, Portia exclaims, “I may neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father. (1.2.22-24)” Portia’s conflict is that she cannot refuse or accept anyone because of her father’s wish to have the men pick the correct chest to marry his daughter. Shakespeare presents this as a second ironic example because she is willing to be married to someone she does not love just to appease her father’s wishes; a sacrifice that need not be made at all. She technically has the ability to choose whichever man she wants, but it is her own choice to agree to her father’s terms, so she has no right to complain that his terms are unfair. Although Portia is convinced none of these noblemen are her match, Nerissa is convinced that Portia’s father’s method will be beneficial. She says, “Your father was ever virtuous, and holy men at their death have good inspirations. (1.2.27-28)” Shakespeare uses persuasive language so Nerissa can convince Portia that herfather would have known who her proper suitor was, and whoever that man is would pick the correct chest. Nerissa almost seems as if she is irritated with Portia’s complaints because she sees how ridiculous Portia’s “problems” are.Shakespeare implements the element of persuasion andirony to highlight the absurdity of Portia’s complaints.
This is mine :)
ReplyDeleteReally nice and strong thesis and quotes chosen are a great outline for the thesis. You could have also used the quotes from lines (1,2,8-9) "superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer" to show that Nerissa to still have some kindness in remarking how "sufficient" Portia is in order to reassure her in some way other than only that Nerissa points out the reality for Portia. You also have well thought-out usage of quotes in order to point out the irony Shakespeare displays in Portia to show the ridiculousness of her complaints. Also, in the middle of the paragraph, you point out that Portia had a choice to agree to her father's terms and that Nerissa persuaded Portia that her father knew who the proper suitor for her would be through his chests. I also believe she was somewhat forced to obey her father's wish considering that men in those days had all the power over men, and society back then agreed to this and saw her father's word toward Portia as the law considering that she was a women. Portia was probably aware of these sexist ideas and therefore had no choice but to stay with her father's decision in order to avoid criticisms of society or even shame to not follow the accordance of society back then. Overall, you have a great point and good quotes to follow up but you may want to get into greater detail on your concluding sentence(which I may be wrong in).
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