Plot of The Merchant of Venice as it pertains to Portia...
As certain event take place in Venice, pertaining to the leading of money to Bassanio (so that he may woo and win the heart of Portia) and the promise of money from Antonio to Shylock, we first meet Portia in her home in Belmont. There she laments to her servant, Nerissa, that she fears a suitor she dislikes will pursue and win her hand in marriage. Per her late father's will, any would be suitor must choose the correct of three chests (gold, silver, and lead), and then, if correct, he may marry Portia. If they fail, well they are not permitted to seek another woman's hand in marriage. As luck would have it, the current stock of suitors refuse to partake in the competition for her hand, leaving her home. Her thoughts turn to a man she met once, Bassanio, and her desire he would come seek her hand, as a new suitor shows up at her door to try his luck. The Moroccan Prince begins the quest for Portia's hand, being told that one of the chests contain her portrait and if he picks the one where she is inside he wins her hand. He chooses the Gold chest, after musing aloud as to why it must be the Gold one, and fails. Instead of her portrait he attains a skull with a scroll telling him he lost and is doomed to be alone forever. Soon after that the Prince of Aragon arrives to test his fate with Portia and the chests. He chooses the Silver chest, and is greeted with a picture of a fool, signaling him as another loser who now must swear to never wed and leave empty handed.
At long last, Bassanio arrives in Belmont, there to try and succeed where many before him have failed. Portia tries to convince him to wait in his choosing, to get to know her longer so that he may have a better chance of winning, and so she may spend more time with him before hand if he should fail. Bassanio is eager though and proceeds to the test. After a few tense moments, he picks the Lead chest, and opens it to find Portia's portrait, thus winning the love and hand of the must sought after lady. To seal the union between them, Portia gives Bassanio a ring, telling him he must never lose it or give it away for he then gives her love away. In the excitement of the moment, Gratiano announces he intends to marry Nerissa, also receiving a ring from his lady with the same warning. As things seem to be looking up, Salerio, Lorenzo, and Jessica arrive to inform Bassanio that his dear friend Antonio, whom had borrowed the money that funded Bassnio's trip, has lost all his ship and has been taken into custody for forfeiting his bond to the money lender Shylock. To which Bassanio quickly leaves to aid his friend, with Portia telling him to spare no expense in his rescue.
After Bassanio and Gratiano leave Belmont, Portia decides she too must help Antonio. However she tells Lorenzo and Jessica to manage her house while she and Nerissa go to a monastery until Bassanio returns. In fact, though she and Nerissa disguise themselves as young men and travel to Venice, to aid in the rescue. At a Venetian court, the Duke presides over the sentencing hearing of Antonio wherein Shylock intends to cut "a pound of flesh from Antonio's breast," as per their contract. Bassanio has arrived and offers Shylock 6,000 ducats (twice the amount the borrowed) for repayment if he would give up his suit against Antonio. Shylock rejects the offer, more interested in his revenge then the money. Just as things seem hopeless Nerissa and Portia, disguised as a court clerk and doctor of civil law respectively, arrive at the court to plead for Antonio's life.
After a moving speech my Portia, Shylock still refuses to back down from his demand of a pound of flesh, though Portia has one more trick up her sleeve. She points out that the deed calls for a pound of flesh to be cut away from Antonio's body, though says nothing about blood to be shed in the act of taking that pound. Furthermore that he must take exactly one pound, lest Shylock be guilty of not following the bond. Shylock, realizing the impossibly of the situation, recants and simply requests the money offered to him by Bassanio. Portia stops the transaction though revealing that Shylock is himself guilty of a crime. Conspiring to kill another citizen of Venice, Antonio. In a turn of events the Duke punishes Shylock by taking half his belongings and giving them to Antonio, the other half to the state. Antonio though decides that Shylock may keep the half that was to go to him, as long as on his death it is given to Shylocks runaway daughter Jessica and to add insult to injury Shylock must give up Judaism and become a Christian. With no other choice, Shylock agrees.
As Portia (as the doctor of civil law) leaves, Bassanio offers her a monetary gift though she turns it down, instead requesting Bassanio's gloves and wedding ring. Bassanio, due to his vow to Portia, hesitates on the ring, but reluctantly gives it after much prodding by Antonio. Nerissa (disguised as a court clerk), vows to try to get her husband (Gratiano) to give her his wedding ring and succeeds. The females then make haste for Belmont, as Bassanio, Antonio, and Gratiano too travel to the home so that they may tell them the good news. After quarreling over the loss of rings, the women admit of their ruse and return the rings to their husbands. Further, they inform Antonio that three of his ships have come to port full of merchandise. Finally, they give the deed to Jessica and Lorenzo promising to give them Shylock's money and possessions upon his death.
At long last, Bassanio arrives in Belmont, there to try and succeed where many before him have failed. Portia tries to convince him to wait in his choosing, to get to know her longer so that he may have a better chance of winning, and so she may spend more time with him before hand if he should fail. Bassanio is eager though and proceeds to the test. After a few tense moments, he picks the Lead chest, and opens it to find Portia's portrait, thus winning the love and hand of the must sought after lady. To seal the union between them, Portia gives Bassanio a ring, telling him he must never lose it or give it away for he then gives her love away. In the excitement of the moment, Gratiano announces he intends to marry Nerissa, also receiving a ring from his lady with the same warning. As things seem to be looking up, Salerio, Lorenzo, and Jessica arrive to inform Bassanio that his dear friend Antonio, whom had borrowed the money that funded Bassnio's trip, has lost all his ship and has been taken into custody for forfeiting his bond to the money lender Shylock. To which Bassanio quickly leaves to aid his friend, with Portia telling him to spare no expense in his rescue.
After Bassanio and Gratiano leave Belmont, Portia decides she too must help Antonio. However she tells Lorenzo and Jessica to manage her house while she and Nerissa go to a monastery until Bassanio returns. In fact, though she and Nerissa disguise themselves as young men and travel to Venice, to aid in the rescue. At a Venetian court, the Duke presides over the sentencing hearing of Antonio wherein Shylock intends to cut "a pound of flesh from Antonio's breast," as per their contract. Bassanio has arrived and offers Shylock 6,000 ducats (twice the amount the borrowed) for repayment if he would give up his suit against Antonio. Shylock rejects the offer, more interested in his revenge then the money. Just as things seem hopeless Nerissa and Portia, disguised as a court clerk and doctor of civil law respectively, arrive at the court to plead for Antonio's life.
After a moving speech my Portia, Shylock still refuses to back down from his demand of a pound of flesh, though Portia has one more trick up her sleeve. She points out that the deed calls for a pound of flesh to be cut away from Antonio's body, though says nothing about blood to be shed in the act of taking that pound. Furthermore that he must take exactly one pound, lest Shylock be guilty of not following the bond. Shylock, realizing the impossibly of the situation, recants and simply requests the money offered to him by Bassanio. Portia stops the transaction though revealing that Shylock is himself guilty of a crime. Conspiring to kill another citizen of Venice, Antonio. In a turn of events the Duke punishes Shylock by taking half his belongings and giving them to Antonio, the other half to the state. Antonio though decides that Shylock may keep the half that was to go to him, as long as on his death it is given to Shylocks runaway daughter Jessica and to add insult to injury Shylock must give up Judaism and become a Christian. With no other choice, Shylock agrees.
As Portia (as the doctor of civil law) leaves, Bassanio offers her a monetary gift though she turns it down, instead requesting Bassanio's gloves and wedding ring. Bassanio, due to his vow to Portia, hesitates on the ring, but reluctantly gives it after much prodding by Antonio. Nerissa (disguised as a court clerk), vows to try to get her husband (Gratiano) to give her his wedding ring and succeeds. The females then make haste for Belmont, as Bassanio, Antonio, and Gratiano too travel to the home so that they may tell them the good news. After quarreling over the loss of rings, the women admit of their ruse and return the rings to their husbands. Further, they inform Antonio that three of his ships have come to port full of merchandise. Finally, they give the deed to Jessica and Lorenzo promising to give them Shylock's money and possessions upon his death.