Portia In Julius Caesar

Proving Loyalty In William Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar, the uses of rhetorical questions, repetition, and anaphora help the character of Portia become persuasive and convincing. Anaphora is used to show Brutus that Portia knows the circumstances of the situation, but she still wants to know what Brutus is keeping from her. Making her first case as to why Brutus should tell her what is troubling him, Portia uses anaphora saying, “I grand I am a woman; but withal A woman that Lord Brutus too wife: I grant I am a woman; but withal A woman well-reputed, Cato's daughter” (71). By using the anaphora, Portia conveys a new message to Brutus that she is to be respected, and brings a new tone to her message.

Thus, she indicates that she can endure whatever Brutus has on his mind, and makes it known that she is definitely not the fragile feminine flower that Brutus and the rest of humanity distinguishes her as. Through this succinct line, Shakespeare allows the reader to recognize that Portia is not an ordinary woman, rather she is an intense and strong willed woman with deep devotion for her husband. One of Brutus’ most notable characteristics is his stoicism, which is clearly seen through instances regarding Portia, as illustrated through Act II, scene i, when he refuses to confide in Portia about the plans to kill Caesar, and when Brutus utters, “Why farewell Portia,” (Brutus, IV, iii, 189) in regards to her death. Brutus’ stoicism impinges on their relationship, because he confines his secrets from her, and towards her death, he allows the audience to gain insight of his true character: the neglect of private feelings and loyalties in favor of what Brutus believes to be the public good. Brutus thus undermines Portia as the symbol of his private life and manifests on the fact that he puts his public life before his private one. Portia’s death also serves as an example of stoicism because he does not reveal any of the emotion that was brought to him in the light of her suicide. Thus, uncovering that stoicism and honor are put before all else.

Draped in flowing teal cloth, Portia is a visual anomaly in comparison to the rest of the cast, who standardly is dressed in a strict uniform of white collared shirts, black kilts, and red sashes to accent. The stark contrast of just colour itself ostracizes Portia from the rest of the characters; a notable costuming choice, as she represents an entirely different dimension to the life of Brutus. In Julius Caesar. By William Shakespeare. Dir. Ron Jenkins. Shakespeare Company, Ground Zero Theatre, and Hit and Myth Productions, at Vertigo Theatre, Calgary. 06 October 2017. Performance, designer Victoria Krawchuk creates an archetype of Portia’s role in the show through costuming. Portia’s more traditional Roman look, an elegant dress and bare feet, resonate the image of a mythological goddess; symbols of both femininity and strength. Encompassing these characteristics perfectly, Portia acknowledges them herself in 2.1, 292-302, (Shakespeare, William. “Julius Caesar.” The Norton Shakespeare: Essential Plays, The Sonnets, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, Norton, 2016, pp. 1115-1180,) in which she states,

Brutus’s wife, the daughter of an honorable roman who took sides against Caesar. Portia, adapted to being Brutus’s soul mate, is upset to find him so unwilling to speak his mind when she finds him distressed.

Julius Caesar is a work of art by William Shakespeare in 1599. Within this play Julius Caesar is portrayed as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is defined as “the main character of a tragedy [who is] usually dignified, courageous, and high ranking” (novel study guide). Also vital to defining a tragic hero is that, “the hero’s downfall is caused by a tragic flaw” ( novel study guide). It is very evident that Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a tragic hero given that he is of noble stature, has a fatal flaw and comes to an unhappy end.

The first thing that proves Brutus is just an ordinary man, and not honorable or noble, is when he dishonors his wife, Portia. Portia notices how Brutus hasn’t been acting himself lately in II.i.; by sneaking out of bed, pacing back and forth at the dinners table, responding to her rudely when she asks what’s the matter, etc. Brutus’s first mistake is when he lies and tells Portia he is not feeling well. Portia, who clearly isn’t stupid, doesn’t fall for it at all. She asks why Brutus refuses

When we learn in the novel how intelligent Portia is we know that her father had given her an education while she was younger, but still he made a test to choose the best suiter for Portis to marry, he didn’t allow her to make her own choices, even if she is very smart (Shakespeare, 2004). Portia is also the one who won the case of Antonio in court by outsmarting all the male characters, even though women were not allowed in the court. Portia is also the one who delivered one of the most famous speeches in The Merchant of Venice: “The quality of mercy is not strain’d. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It Blesseth him that gives and him that takes” (Shakespeare,

In a cast of over 30 characters, there are only two women. This is a statement describing the world renown play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. These two female characters are Calpurnia, the wife of Julius Ceasar, and Portia, the wife of Marcus Brutus. Other than these two women, the cast is composed entirely of male characters. In a work of literature so populated by men, one may ask why Shakespeare takes the time to include any women at all. However, after further reflection, it is clear to see the reason as to why they are included. Upon including Calpurnia and Portia in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare deepens our understanding of their husbands, highlights the social values of the time, and

Centuries after the murder of a rising dictator, students, historians, and linguists alike continue to study the death of Julius Caesar as immortalized by William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. In this tragedy, Shakespeare examines the days preceding Caesar’s downfall, and the aftermath that ensues. The tragedy describes Marcus Brutus, a character with noble and honorable intentions, influenced by Cassius to support a conspiracy against an ambitious politician, Julius Caesar. Brutus, Cassius, and other conspirators succeed in ending Caesar’s life, but are forced to flee when Rome turns against them. Much controversy has arisen over who is the tragic hero of the play. A tragic hero is a noble character who, despite his greatness, is led to destruction by his own fatal flaw. Although many argue Brutus is the tragic hero due to his prominent role in the play and his heroic, yet flawed, character, Shakespeare remains justified in the naming of his play. In Shakespeare’s accurately titled tragedy, Julius Caesar, rather than Brutus, remains the tragic hero of the play due to his heroic qualities, his fatal flaw, and Brutus’ ineligibility as the tragic hero.

     For thousands of years, humanity has been ruled mainly by a Patriarchal society. In this society women have often been seen as objects or inferior humans through the eyes of their male counterparts. The Elizabethan era was no exception to these beliefs, and works of literature often supported these misogynistic views. In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, however, the author appears to portray the characters of Portia and Calphurnia in a positive light, ignoring the common stereotypes often associated with female characters. Although Portia and Calphurnia have minor parts in the play, their strength is discernible. Both female characters are portrayed as

Another example of Portia fighting back is when Portia uses trickery to make Shylock stick exactly to the bond causing him to be condemned to Christianity and to give half of his belongings to Antonio and the other half to

During this fight Brutus mentions the fact Portia has committed suicide in the fact that she longed for her Brutus. But he seemed unphased by her death and he did not shake with any

In his drama, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare exposes how humans change when granted power. In the play, Brutus is a dynamic character who undergoes a dramatic change when he gains power. Cassius convinces Brutus to join the conspirators in their mission to murder Julius Caesar. At first he is hesitant, but eventually he is persuaded and joins the group. His relationships with several people change remarkably throughout the story.This is a result of his change. The transformation Brutus makes from before and after he kills Caesar proves that he is a dynamic character. William Shakespeare, in his play Julius Caesar, illustrates how power can change someone by making Brutus a dynamic character in order to

The critics and other readers of Shakespearean plays think that he treats women badly for a few reasons, one being that most of the women in his plays die a tragic death. One example is in the play, Julius Caesar. In this specific play, Portia who is Julius Caesar's wife kills herself by swallowing hot coals. Portia was highly respected in life, and in order to be highly respected in death, she felt that she had to show her bravery in an excruciatingly painful death. This shows that Shakespeare

Portia is the heroine of The Merchant of the Venice. The first mention of Portia was through Bassanio talking to Antigo: “In Belmont is a lady richly left, and she is fair and-fairer of words” (Act 1, scene 1). Even the opinions of other people around her showed that she is indeed a kind-hearted person. Another instant is when Bassanio mentioned Antigo debt, Portia shows deep concerns even through it wasn’t her fault. “before a friend of this description shall lose a hair through Bassanio fault” (). She wants to be helpful to the people she loves therefore thinking of an answer to this horror situation. This not only shows the characterizes of sharp witted, but also the nurturing heart she processes.