Gender Inequality in Merchant of Venice

Gender Inequality in Merchant of Venice

1. Portia

   • Smart
     • Even if she is smart, she has many restrictions in life.
       • VS
   • Marriage
     • No freedom in choosing the person she wants to marry to.
       • Who has the chance to choose?
         • Her suitors
           • Males
             • Morocco
             • Arragon
             • Neapolitan Prince
             • County Palatine
             • Monsieur Le Bon
             • Falconbridge
             • Duke of Saxony’s Nephew
             • Bassanio
   • Antonio's Trial
     • Portia had to cross dress as a male lawyer
       • Why?
         • A female's opinion will not be accepted or even considered
         • Her identity as a female will not be accepted the court to attend the trial.
         • She has an idea of how to save Antonio, and only she can carry it out, because she's smart.
   • Rich
   • Fair
   • Sarcastic

2. Bassanio

   • VS
   • Not so clever
     • He went to the trial of Antonio, but did not manage to give any help because of his intelligence level being not as high as Portia.
   • Sweet talker
     • Words are as sweet as chocolate

3. Nerrisa

   • VS
   • Portia's lady-in-waiting.
   • Cross dresses as a lawyer's clerk to enter the court.
     • Her identity as a female is not accepted by the public.
     • As a male, she would be able to go into court and act as Portia's assistant to make the act more convincing.

4. Gratiano

   • Garrulous and coarse young man
   • Besides talking rudely, he could not help out at the court at all.

5. Lorenzo

   • VS
   • Best pals of Bassanio and Antonio.

6. Jessica

   • Shylock's daughter that converts to Christianity.
   • First female to cross dress in the story, Merchant of Venice.
     • Why cross dress?
       • By assuming the form of a man, she gains the permission to walk out of the house.
         • Escape from Shylock's grasp.
       • Elope with Lorenzo.
   • She was only allowed to stay at home, with little freedom and warmth.

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