Custom Essay: The Role Of Portia In Shakespeare's 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.

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,

Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice exemplifies a principle that is as unfortunately true in our time as it was in his - he who has money also has love, sex, and above all, power. In this case, the use of 'he' is deliberate; 'she,' in the Elizabethan era, rarely had either financial independence or much control over the course of her life. Portia, the deceitful heroine of the play, is a major exception. To put it bluntly, Portia is enormously rich. This unique position allows her to meddle in the affairs of the unsuspecting and somewhat dim male characters, and eventually gives her unprecedented power of self-determination. However, the play is more than a tale of feminine

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

     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

“Then I’m your whore, not your wife.” Powerful words spoken from Brutus’s wife Portia. In 44 B.C. Women who lived in Rome were far from equal to men; in fact they were far from being citizens at all. Men in Rome thought of women as possessions nothing more.

From the expansion days of Ancient Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire, women have always succumbed to living subjacent to the status of their omnipotent and dominant male figures. After leaving her childhood home and the rule of her father, a young Roman girl would then be coerced into the dominion of her husband, often taking a plethora of roles, ranging from lover, caretaker, and best friend. It is often lightheartedly stated that, “Behind every great man is an even greater woman,” and William Shakespeare exemplifies this concept beautifully in Julius Caesar, in which he effectively used the spouses of the two main characters to add more depth, drama, and literary elements to the play, bringing it to life. Although the only two

Mankiewicz, Brutus and Portia’s actions correspond to the expectations from the novel. Portia is seen embracing her husband in the film and is portrayed doing so in the novel when the author states, “Dear my lord, / Make me acquainted with your cause of grief”(2.1.255-56). This sincere, heartfelt quote appeals to Brutus’s emotions and creates the imagery of them in each others’ clutches. Moreover, within the film, Shakespeare conveys Portia as a strong, confident character. Likewise, this quality compares with Portia’s qualities throughout the play as she manipulates Brutus into revealing his secrets by questioning his honor; she does not prevail.

The beauty of Portia, Desdemona, and Jessica is often noted by Shakespeare through the characters in the plays, such as Cassio in Othello when he states that Desdemona is “One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens”. While

In the play “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare, women play an important role. The women are important factors in foreshadowing and in the development of many of the characters. To look at the role of women in the play we must look deeper in to the roles of the only two women in the play; Calpurnia, wife of Caesar, and Portia, wife of Brutus. Both of these women are key in foreshadowing the murder of Caesar. After Caesar’s murder we do not hear much of either of them.

In Julius Caesar, the constructions of femininity are problematically presented in that femininity is concluded as submissive, powerless, and unimportant. One example is when Cassius persuades Brutus to consider joining the faction claiming Caesar’s rule made them “governed with our mothers' spirits. / Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish” (1.3.86-87). This claim that Shakespeare writes for Cassius is not only problematic because it belittles women, but it makes the suggestion men should not seek compromise and should always be unruly because it would take away their ‘virtue’ of masculinity over women.

A tale of two diverse souls is what makes the tale unique, it is what keeps people and readers become more intrigued to the story and that was a brilliant way to end the play of Julius Caesar, with diversity. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare incorporates two ladies in the actors. Calpurnia and Portia have similarities additionally are a review in contrasts. In the play, Caesar's desire for an heir has a darker meaning. Brutus deciphers the significance Caesar puts on this issue as confirmation Caesar plans to make a line, accordingly filling Brutus' explanations behind crush Caesar. The mirror, so frequently summoned in other Shakespearean plays, is additionally a critical picture in Julius Caesar. Cassius keeps on controlling

The Merchant of Venice is a play set in a very male and Christian dominated society where other religions and women rights weren’t very well accepted by the community. However Portia, a rich woman who had previously been controlled by men, triumphs as she manipulates tricks and saves the lives of the men.

Portia fears not Brutus. When Portia goes to Brutus in the night, he tells her “It is not for your health thus to commit Your weak condition to the raw, cold morning.” Act II, scene I, lines 244-245. Saying as a woman you should not

Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare is about Julius Caesar coming home from fighting in war against the sons of his military rival, Pompey, and he is treated like the king. He was offered to be king or supreme rule but he held off on the offer. Brutus, Caesar’s best friend, betrayed Caesar because he thought Caesar would let the power get to him when Caesar was about to be named king, however throughout the story Caesar already portrayed or thought of himself more supreme than others. Portia and Calphurnia are also characters in the story, Calphurnia is married to Caesar and Portia is married to Brutus. Portia persuades Brutus to open up to what’s bothering him by showing her loyalty.