In the play the Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare demonstrates that love requires an unlimited amount of generosity. In the play every separate love story involves one or both parties to be generous either with, their life, their estate or their religion and family.
             Portia's love for Bassanio required her to be generous with her estate. Portia is a rich lady that lives in Belmont. Bassanio, a poor man who has fallen for fair Portia's beauty. Portia's father left a test in his will to make sure Portia chooses a suitable husband. One that chooses based on what's inside and not out. He left three caskets gold, silver and lead with an inscription on each. The gold says "Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire." The silver says "Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves." The lead says "Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath." The person who chose the casket with Portia's picture wins her estate, her title and her. Bassanio chose correctly by choosing the lead casket. After Bassanio chose the correct casket, Portia was forced to render her title in her home, her money and herself to Bassanio. Portia says:
             As from her lord, her governor, her king.
             Myself and what is mine, to you and yours
             Is now converted: but now I was the lord
             Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,
             Queen o'er myself; and even now, but now,
             This house, these servants, and this same myself
             Are yours, my lord's. (III, ii, 165-171)
             She was very generous to her knew fiancée by giving him everything she had. In those days when you fell in love a married women would have to hand over their estate to their husband. This was the price she paid for love. If you ever wanted to fall in love you would have to be generous because when it came time for marriage, women were to give everything to their husbands. Portia's illustrated that love...