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Portia (The Merchant of Venice)

Portia is a female character and protagonist in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. In creating her character Shakespeare drew from the historical figure of Porcia,[1] the daughter of Cato the Younger, as well as several parts of the Bible.[2]

Portia

William Shakespeare

Portia is fond of proverbs, frequently quoting them, which was considered a sign of wisdom and sharp wit in the Elizabethan era. It has been suggested that the character of Portia was based on Queen Elizabeth, who was reigning at the time the play was written. [3]

adopted the pen name "Portia" in letters to her husband, John Adams, the second president of the United States. John signed his letters with "Lysander".[6]

Abigail Adams

The was originally known as the Portia Law School when it was established in 1908 as a women-only law school and was known by that name until 1969.[7]

New England School of Law

In his novels author John Mortimer has Rumpole call Phyllida Erskine-Brown (née Trant) the "Portia of our Chambers".[8]

Rumpole

the celebrated Victorian litigant and amateur soprano, was referred to as the "Portia of the Law Courts".[9]

Georgina Weldon

is a moon of Uranus, one of several such named after Shakespearean characters.[10]

Portia

(born Amanda Lee Rogers), married to Ellen DeGeneres, adopted the name Portia to reinvent herself after becoming a model and actress.[11]

Portia de Rossi

The , which states women with masculine-sounding names tend to be more successful in a legal profession than otherwise identical counterparts, is named after the character.[12]

Portia Hypothesis

the history and usage of the given name

Portia (given name)

The character of Portia has had a considerable and long-lived cultural impact.

Media related to Portia (The Merchant of Venice) at Wikimedia Commons

Folger Shakespeare Library

All lines spoken by Portia