Character of Portia: Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare

 “Shakespeare has no heroes; he has only heroines.” Comment on this remark with reference to ‘The Merchant of Venice’.

Ruskin once remarked that Shakespeare has no heroes; he has only heroines. The trouble in every play is caused by the folly or the fault of man. Woman saves the situation by her practical wisdom, Ruskin means that in Shakespeare's plays, the woman is the leading character; it is the woman who is truly heroic in the play. Man does not act like a hero. He makes a mess of everything. Woman is the truly heroic figure.

In ‘The Merchant of Venice’, all the trouble is created by the folly or wickedness of men-Antonio, Bassanio and Shylock. The job of rescuing comes at the hands of a woman-Portia. Antonio submits to his fate meekly, but Portia saves him from Shylock with courage and wisdom. In the whole play, Portia is the only heroic character. Without Portia, the play would have ended as a tragedy. Neither Antonio nor Bassanio is a hero in the real sense of the term. What heroism is there in Antonio? He submits first to his melancholy and then to his fate when Shylock wants his pound of flesh. What heroism is there in Bassanio? He first depends upon his friends for the money for his marriage and then depends upon Portia to save his friend. Shylock is almost heroic in his defeat, but he represents the principle of hatred and revenge. We cannot call him a hero.

Portia alone stands like a tower above all these characters. When men have made a mess of everything, this woman comes out boldly and heroically saves the situation. She is heroic. She is more than a match for Shylock. She has the qualities of head and heart. She has intelligence, wit and courage. She is ready for all situations. She is called the heroine, because she is a woman, Otherwise, she has all the qualities of a real hero. She is the hero' of 'The Merchant of Venice'. Thus, Ruskin's remark that Shakespeare has no heroes; he has only heroines-is perfectly true of The Merchant of Venice'.

We may, however, add that Ruskin's statement is only partly true. It is true only of Shakespeare's comedies. Women play the most active and leading part in all the comedies of Shakespeare. But this is only a dramatic device. In romantic comedies, women are shown as perfect and ideal. This is done for the sake of the drama-not because all women are perfect in life. In The Merchant of Venice', men are painted as they really are. Thus, we have Antonio, Bassanio and Shylock presented as they are with all their weaknesses. Portia is a picture of perfection. Anyway, she is every inch a heroine. No male character can compare with her. Hence, as far as this play is concerned Ruskin's statement “Shakespeare has no heroes, he has only heroines” is perfectly true. The Merchant of Venice' has no hero-it has only a heroine.