Explore how Shakespeare presents Portia as a strong female character in 'The Merchant of Venice'

Portia is the lead female character, and object of Bassanio's love, in Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice'. She is also one of the only female characters, and takes a significant role in proceedings during the latter portion of the play. However, initially she is portrayed as a reasonably weak character, held hostage by her late father's will that she should marry the suitor that picks the appropriate casket. This indicates her weakness, as, even though she shows clear dislike for the first two suitors, she is left helpless and unable to decline them. However this is countered by her final suitor: Bassanio, as she is able to subtly hint to him which casket he should choose, thereby granting her more power and status than was previously shown. Portia's strength of character, however, is most clearly shown in the court scene - Act 4, Scene 1 - where she assumes a disguise as a doctor of law, and intervenes in Antonio's trial at a crucial moment to secure victory for her husband and his best friend. Her single-handed overturning of the entire scene, literally disarming Shylock with her words, lends great gravitas and strength to her presence as a character in the script. Lastly, the arc of her helplessness established with her father's will and the caskets is somewhat subverted by her tempting of Bassanio, asking for the ring she had hitherto given to him as payment, and wielding this against him as revenge for his disloyalty. Thus, Portia, although initially not so, is portrayed as a strong character by Shakespeare in 'The Merchant of Venice'.