Question

Shakespeare has no heroes but only heroines.In this context, bring out the leading traits of the character of portia.

Answer 1

Shakespeare is said to not have heroes in his comedies because of the significant role the lead female characters play (this may not be as easily asserted for his tragedies and histories, however). Critical opinion holds that in his comedies, one thing Shakespeare aimed for was to honor the qualities of Queen Elizabeth. Other Elizabethan Renaissance writers similarly honored Elizabeth in their writings, most notably Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queene. Since Shakespeare aims to honor Elizabeth, he endows his heroines, such as Rosalind in As You Like It, with qualities and attributes widely know to belong to the Queen. One reason writers wished to honor Queen Elizabeth, aside from the privileges of patronage (e.g., court positions or pensions), was that Elizabeth was lauded in her own time as one of England's greatest rulers, who, though a woman, was fearless even in the face of battle as she was noted for donning armor and riding at the head of troops.