Q1. Why did Portia want her husband to go venice?
Answers
Answer:
Portia doesn't even get to choose her husband, because her (dead) dad set up a little contest ("lottery") involving three caskets to ensure his little princess married the "right" man
ANSWER
Before we even meet Portia, we hear about how desirable she is: "In Belmont is a lady richly left, / And she is fair" (1.2.168-169). Translation: Portia is rich and hot, which makes her the most eligible bachelorette in Belmont.
The heiress to her dead father's fortune, Portia's wealth makes her a meal ticket in the eyes of Bassanio, who sees Portia as the answer to all his financial woes—if he can marry her that is. As Bassanio points out, he's not the only guy who'd like to land the heiress: "Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth, / For the four winds blow in from every coast / Renownèd suitors" (1.2.174-176) willing to risk everything for a chance to marry Portia.
Gee, it sounds like Portia's got a perfect life, right? Not so fast.
Not only is every potential suitor out to get his hands on Portia's wealth, but Portia doesn't even get to choose her husband, because her (dead) dad set up a little contest ("lottery") involving three caskets to ensure his little princess married the "right" man. (If you need to brush up on the casket contest, go to the "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" section, but then come right back.) It turns out that Portia's dad knew how attractive Portia would be as a rich, single girl, so he did what any wealthy 16th-century Shakespearean father would and made sure his only daughter would marry the man of his choosing.