Women in Shakespeare: Portia, Cordelia, and Gender Equality

Introduction: Shakespeare's Vision of Gender Equality

In The Merchant of Venice, the life of Antonio is saved by Portia, who disguises herself as a male lawyer in order to confront Shylock and turn the tables on him through a witty and discerning exploitation of the law. Similarly, in King Lear, it is Cordelia — the despised daughter of Lear — who alone among all his daughters remains loyal to the king and, in the end, saves his life even though it costs her own. In these two plays, Shakespeare shows not only that women are equal to men in a world that declared them unequal, but that in many respects the patriarchy of his era could not have survived without the help, and ultimately the saving actions, of women. This paper demonstrates how Dusinberre is correct in her assessment that Shakespeare viewed the sexes as equal, drawing on examples from King Lear and The Merchant of Venice.

Portia in The Merchant of Venice

At first glance, it may not appear that Shakespeare's treatment of Portia is in line with Dusinberre's assertion of equality between men and women. A deeper and more complete examination of the work, however, bears out the significant role Portia plays. Essentially confined to her home by her father's will — which allows only an individual of noble and humble virtue to win his daughter's hand in marriage, while she herself is not permitted to choose — Portia resembles a character who is both unequal and incapable of independent decision-making. She appears the prototypical female: subservient in a patriarchal society, unable to take her fate into her own hands. Or so it seems.

When Bassanio arrives to attempt the casket test, Portia is attracted to him and does, in fact, take her fate into her own hands. She sings a song designed to guide Bassanio toward the correct choice, making clear that she is no mere idle prize. She sees the man she wants and does everything in her power to secure that outcome — without technically violating her father's will. Her song runs: "Tell me where is fancy bred, / Or in the heart or in the head? … So may the outward shows be least themselves; / The world is still deceived with ornament" (3.2.63–64, 73–74). Her guidance allows Bassanio to choose the correct casket, and the two are happily married.

Portia's Legal Triumph and Superior Character

Portia's greatness does not end there. When she learns that Bassanio's friend Antonio is about to forfeit a pound of his flesh to Shylock, she does not sit back and allow the men to handle the situation. Instead, she becomes proactive. Disguising herself as a man — a nod to the fact that she still lives in a patriarchal society and must therefore adhere to its outward conventions — she goes to court, defends Antonio, and defeats Shylock. The courtroom scene is a demonstration of legal ingenuity that none of the male characters are able to achieve on their own.

Furthermore, Portia tests the loyalty of her new husband by demanding, as payment, the ring he swore never to remove. He hesitates — not knowing the "lawyer" before him is his own wife — but ultimately yields, reasoning that the lawyer's service to his friend justified the concession. Portia later reveals herself to Bassanio and teaches him a lesson in loyalty and fidelity. Shakespeare thus presents Portia as not merely equal to the men in the play but superior to them in nearly every respect: she is intelligent, noble, honorable, crafty, humble, loving, sincere, and full of creative and proactive powers. In a patriarchal world, she would make a fine queen — and this may well be Shakespeare's tribute to the actual queen of England, Elizabeth, who ruled alone. The example of Portia in The Merchant of Venice strongly supports the validity of Dusinberre's claim.

Conclusion: Shakespeare's Women as Saviors and Equals

Shakespeare's women are not just equal to men in his plays: they are a good deal better. They represent superior intellect, superior charm, superior wit, and superior strength. They embody constancy and goodness, and they act as saviors of the men around them on repeated occasions. In a world that viewed women as inferior and unequal within a patriarchal system, Shakespeare presented a vision of womanhood far more gracious and capable than the culture allowed. Portia and Cordelia are but two examples of women who outshine the men in their respective plays — but there are many others throughout the canon.

Shakespeare was thus, as Dusinberre has argued, a writer who saw men and women as equal. In his vision of that equality, he appears to have gone a step further still, depicting women as at times even greater and more deserving of respect than their male counterparts. All the same, Shakespeare's female characters shine with a dignity and ability that is entirely their own.