class and would have been understood by Shakespeare's educated audiences. Bassanio highly praises her and places her on a pedestal, which can have a negative or a positive outcome depending on how Portia is portrayed during Act 1, scene 2. This is seen during the Trevor Nunn production, Portia is described as 'fair' and of 'wondrous virtues' when we encounter Portia she is very much the contradictory because she is an elegant brunette with snobbish qualities; this provides an interesting view of Portia and her manipulation over men.
             Historically Portia has changed mainly because society change's their views on women and their behaviour. The Elizabethan audience would have been shocked by Portia's plans in Act 3, Scene 4, because it would not have been true to life. Most women were seen as incapable of being intelligent and witty unlike Portia. However Portia is an a acceptation because she is wealthy and would have been educated which makes her a minority within Elizabethan society, most women did not have the option or chance, due to the fact women w
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