(i) In the second line of this extract, Portia is referred to as ‘him’. Portia appears in the court in the costume of a male lawyer. She arrives at the court of the Duke in Venice to save the life of Antonio who is badly entrapped by Shylock, a Jew.
(ii) Nerissa brings a letter from Dr. Bellario at Padua. This letter recommends a young and learned lawyer to the court. Nerissa also tells the Duke that the lawyer is waiting quite close to know his (Duke’s) decision whether he will permit him or not. At this Duke permits him most readily and asks some three or four persons to go and bring him to the court with due courtesy.
(iii) Bellario is a learned doctor of law of Padua. The Duke sent a messenger to bring him to settle the question about law. He writes a letter to the Duke for showing his inability to join the case due to his illness. In his letter, he says that he had a friendly visit of a young doctor of Rome called Balthazar and made him aware of the case and the dispute between the Jew and the merchant Antonio. He futher adds that they consulted many law books together and he knows his opinion on the case, which improved by his own learning, the extent of which he does not have words to praise, so he is coming instead of him. In his letter, Dr. Bellario requests the Duke that his lack of years should not be considered a reason for not having the highest respect for him, for he (Bellario) has never known so young a man with such profound thinking and the actual trial will his true worth even better.
(iv) The ‘controversy’ means the rise of dispute between the Jew and the merchant, Antonio. Bassanio approaches a rich Jewish money lender for three thousand ducats for three months on Antonio’s surety. Shylock asks Antonio to, playfully, sign a bond with the condition that if he is unable to repay the amount in three months, Shylock will have the right to cut off a pound of flesh from his body. Antonio signs such a bond despite Bassanio’s objection. A rumour spreads that Antonio is going to meet utter disaster. Upon his inability to repay the loein in time Shylock has Antonio in his vice grip. Shylock brings this case in the court of the Duke of Venice. He demands r justice from the Duke. All efforts, requests and offers of many several times the actual sum fail to persuade Shylock from proceeding to claim a pound of Antonio’s flesh. An inferno of hate and vengeance—personal, religious and professional—is blazing inside Shylock and he is adamant on getting justice according to his bond.
(v) ‘The young doctor of Rome’ (Portia disguised as a male lawyer.) The Duke asks Portia if she is aware of the dispute between the Jew and Antonio which is under consideration of the court at present. At this Portia replies him that she has already been informed of the complete details of the case. Then turning to Shylock, she says r that his suit is really very preculiar in nature but it is being followed in such a lawful manner that the Venetian law can not refuse its implementation and resist him from L following the course he has decided upon. Portia makes appeal to Shylock to accept twice the sum for settling this dispute and to give up his cruel intention of cutting a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. She also requests him to show merciful and generous attitude toward Antonio.
(vi) When ‘the young doctor of Rome’ (Portia) finds that Shylock is firm on his decision, she admits Shylock’s claim and makes him jubilant. But as Shylock prepares to cut a pound of Antonio’s flesh, she restrains him saying that he can cut a pound of Antonio’s flesh — neither more nor less — and that too without shedding a drop of blood because the bond does not give him any blood. Thus Shylock is caught in his own trap. Portia relentlessly applies one provision of law after another and vanquishes Shylock completely. Portia as a ‘young doctor of law’ shows her intellectual strength and the depth and force of her moral grandeur. We find that she is eloquent, dignified, unfailing in knowledge, impartial and has a noble anxiety to save Shylock from his own inhumanity.
