Mask of the “Noble Wife” and “Sweet Lady”: The Two Portias’ Performance of Womanliness in Julius Caesar and The Merchant of Venice
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Portia, the heroine of The Merchant of Venice, and Portia, the wife of Brutus in Julius Caesar, both have scenes where they demonstrate their masculinity. Portia in The Merchant of Venice disguises herself as a man, and Portia in Julius Caesar wounds herself to prove that she has the spiritual strength of a man. Using Joan Riviere’s idea of defensive femininity, this paper examines how the two Portias perform femininity to evade anxiety or punishment that can result from their desire to claim a masculine position and enter a male-dominated space. Whereas Portia in The Merchant of Venice is aware of the performative aspect of gender, Portia in Julius Caesar sees her female body as an obstacle to embodying male ideals, resulting in her self-destruction. The two Portias demonstrate the agency that strategic gender performances can provide as well as the anxiety surrounding such actions.
Abstract
Portia, the heroine of The Merchant of Venice, and Portia, the wife of Brutus in Julius Caesar, both have scenes where they demonstrate their masculinity. Portia in The Merchant of Venice disguises herself as a man, and Portia in Julius Caesar wounds herself to prove that she has the spiritual strength of a man. Using Joan Riviere’s idea of defensive femininity, this paper examines how the two Portias perform femininity to evade anxiety or punishment that can result from their desire to claim a masculine position and enter a male-dominated space. Whereas Portia in The Merchant of Venice is aware of the performative aspect of gender, Portia in Julius Caesar sees her female body as an obstacle to embodying male ideals, resulting in her self-destruction. The two Portias demonstrate the agency that strategic gender performances can provide as well as the anxiety surrounding such actions.
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