I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove their superiority to the men in many ways. To begin with, they proved that they had more intellect than the men. Portia was able to save Antonio's life, a feat none of the men were able to do. The women also proved their superiority in loyalty. Both women asked their husbands to keep one item with them at all times and both men end up giving their rings away. I also believe that Portia and Nerissa enjoyed misleading their husbands as a way of getting revenge on them for parting with the rings.
Ian Young-1 I agree that by Shakespeare adding this scene into the play, he is showing that women can be superior to men in many ways. But, I do not think they are trying to prove they are superior in loyalty. I think they were just trying to test their husbands' loyalty not necessarily prove that they had more loyalty. The testing of the husbands was for more of a comedic affect. They wanted to show that the husbands aren't completely loyal to the ladies.
Zach Sekaran - 6 I agree that Shakespeare sneaked in one last piece of evidence of Portia's intelligence. The women did not, however, prove that they were more loyal, just far more clever; in fact, Portia and Nerissa had said they were leaving for a monastery.Lastly, the play is a comedy, and the rings provide lighthearted dramatic irony that contrasts with the troublesome conclusion of Shylock's trial.
Phil Volkert-1 Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove two things in my mind. The first reason I think they took the rings were because they wanted to see if Bassanio would keep his word. Which he did because he gave Nerissa and Portia the rings. The other reason is because Portia and Nerissa wanted to see if their men are faithful and will keep their rings and not give it away.
Portia and Nerissa where trying to prove two things with the rings. The first is they proved is that women can be deceiving to, so do not mess around with them. They also wanted to test Bassanio and Graitanio loyalty, but they gave the rings away. Finally I believe they enjoyed tricking there husbands, almost as a joke.
John Cesarz - 1 Portia and Nerissa were trying to test their husband's loyalty while having a little fun. Portia made Bassanio swear never to give away the ring, so she decided to trap him in a situation where he would have to break his word no matter what. Either he gave away the ring and broke his word, or he didn't give the ring and broke his word to give anything he had. Portia was trying to see how he would react and test his loyalty and his faithfulness in their marriage. Portia and Nerissa also did this as a joke and for fun, a little test for their husbands.
In my opinion, Portia and Nerissa were very clever with the situation involving the rings. As Niko put it, they were trying to prove they had more intellect than the men. Throughout the play, this is shown many times. They were also testing the loyalty of their husbands. Before giving the ring, Bassanio and Gratiano made heartfelt promises to their respective brides, yet they seemed to break that connection so fast. Furthermore, Portia and Nerissa just wanted to have a little fun tricking their husbands.
Sean Runnoe-6 Portia and Nerissa were trying to find out if they husbands were loyal to them and will do what they say. They wanted to prove that their husbands can be trusted because if Bassanio and Gratiano kept the rings, it proved to the girls that they are trusted with things because they will do whatever their wives say.
Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that women are just as smart as men. They were able to trick their own husbands into giving them the rings that they promised to keep until they die. By tricking Bassanio and Gratiano into giving them the rings, they show the men how they should not be taken for granted. Also, it gives Portia and Nerissa something to hold over the men's heads if they displease them.
Brett Walsh -1 Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove multiple things to their husbands. One would be that they are more loyal then their husbands are. This is because Portia and Nerissa gave them the rings and told them never to give them away. They were trying to test Bassanio and Gratiano's loyalty to their marriage. Another thing that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove was that they are smarter than their husbands. Neither of their husbands could get Antonio out of the bind he was in, but Portia was smart enough to get him out unlike the husbands. The last thing that Nerissa and Portia were trying to prove in my mind was that they were smarter than the husbands in the way that they now have leeway against their husbands without even trying to get it. It just fell into their hands and now they can hold their husbands against it.
Zach Schumacher - 1 I think Portia and Nerissa were very wise with their opportunity to test their husbands. Both wives gave their husbands rings and told them they were never to take them off until they die. The men were put to the test when the men offered to give the two wives something after they saved Antonio from death. The women both asked for the rings. Gratiano and Bassanio eventually gave Nerissa and Portia the rings not knowing that the people they were giving them to were their wives. Portia and Nerissa proved to the two men was that they need to be able to trust they husbands at anytime even when they are not near each other
Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that they don't want to be treated similarly to the other women in their culture. In general, women of that time were "controlled" by their husbands. By fooling them, Portia and Nerissa gained the upper hand, so to speak. They proved that they won't accept inferiority and distrust from their newly-wed husbands.
Marcelo Quesada - 1 I feel that Portia and Nerissa were trying to test not only their husbands' honor, but also to have a little fun. They knew that they had put their husbands between a rock and a hard place, forcing them to choose good manners or loyalty. It only made their situation harder when Portia-in-disguise made Bassanio feel worse because he wouldn't give her the ring after he pledged to give her anything. Overall, I feel that the women were just trying to test their husbands while having fun. Also, they could use them giving away their wedding rings to their advantage later in life.
I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to test their husband's loyalty. Both tried feverishly to get the rings from their husbands, and eventually convinced them to hand it over. Both were unloyal to their original promise to never remove their rings from their fingers, which caused Portia and Nerissa to become upset and retaliate the next time they saw them. Plus, they were also trying to mess with them and play a little bit of a prank, considering how grateful Bassanio and Gratiano were for the huge favor they had done just moments before by bringing down Shylock.
Danny McKenna - 1 I think that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that they were just as smart, or smarter than their husbands. They had played everyone at court into thinking they were men, and saved Antonio's life. Then they were able to work their husbands into giving their rings away. When this play was written men had superiority over women, Portia and Nerissa wanted to show that they were equal.
Charlie Gutierrez- 6 I feel that Nerissa and Portia tried to test their husbands' loyalty and trust. This proved to them they were not as trustful as they thought they were despite both Gratiano and Bassanio taking oaths to always keep the rings no matter what
Chris Klempay- 1 Portia and Nerissa were trying to test the knowledge of their husbands. They convinced Bassanio and Gratiano to hand over the rings. This made Portia and Nerissa mad, because this means that Bassanio and Gratiano broke their promise of never giving their rings to anyone else.
Joe French- 5 Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove to Bassanio and Gratiano that they are not taking their marriage lightly. The rings are a symbol of Bassanio's and Gratiano's vow of marriage with their spouses. When Portia and Nerissa are disguised and ask for the rings they wanted to test how serious the boys were about their relationship.
Alex Radocha-1 Portia and Nerissa were trying to show off their abilities as women to the men. They display that they are more intellectual than men. They also proved that they are more loyal than their husbands because they both gave away their special items. Portia saving Antonio's life was also a good impression for her. Shakespeare is putting a stress on the role of women in this time period and showing how smart they can be.
Portia and Nerissa were trying to show their intellectual abilities, while testing their husbands loyalty. They show their intellectual abilities well because they have gotten Antonio out of his punishment. The husbands fail the loyalty test because the ring that they each have is the one thing that their wives have asked for them to never loose. With the men failing, it proves that the women are more loyal.
Portia and Nerissa were trying accomplish multiple goals when acquiring the rings. First, they wanted to test the loyalty they held to their spouses and also to test their word and see if they would keep it. Portia & Nerissa also accomplished proving that they're both very clever by putting their husbands in an impossible situation such as they did from their own actions. Finally, I believe that they simply wanted to trick their husbands and make fools out of them a little bit.
Tom Barrett-6- Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove their husbands' loyalty. When they married, both couples promised to always keep the rings. Gratiano and Bassanio were put in a very difficult situation because the doctors of the law had asked for both rings. They had no other choice but to give their wives' rings away, after all she had saved Antonio's life. When they returned, Portia and Nerissa had asked to see their husband's rings, but neither one had them on. Although this was only a prank, the wives learned that their husbands were devoted to their friends and had no other choice but to give away the ring.
Joshua Surges 5- Although I agree that Bassanio and Gratiano were in a very difficult position in relation to the rings, I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove the vast consequences/ punishments that would lead to breaking promises with them, not trying to prove their husbands loyalty. Also I believe it was a conscience choice by the married men to give away the rings, not a true requirement.
Stephen Foley - 5 I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to accomplish two things with the rings. First of all, I believe that the women were trying to test the faithfulness of their husbands. The rings were symbols of theirs vows and marriage. They were also something that both Bassanio and Gratiano had sworn to keep. By trying to take the rings from their husbands, they were able to see just how much their word was worth. Taking the rings also proved to show the intelligence of women. While Bassanio and Gratiano were unable to save Antonio, Nerissa and Portia were. taking the rings proves as a reminder for this.
I believe Portia and Nerissa tried getting the rings to prove one last time that they wiser than what men believe women to be. They used their wits by making it nearly impossible not to give up the rings by begging for Bassanio's after Bassanio said they would give anything to Portia for saving his dear friend Antonio's life. But mostly they did it to test their husbands faith and commitment to the promise they made to keep and treasure the rings that their wives gave them.
Although it can be considered a little unfair, Portia and Nerissa were justified about the rings. They are undoubtedly very intelligent and crafty, but they needed to make sure that their husbands were loyal to them. When Bassanio made the offer to the doctor of law, he did not expect for her (Portia) to ask for the ring. Obviously, he would not have made the offer if he knew that she would ask for the ring. Bassanio dug himself into the hole, and it was his own fault. They know that their husbands are loyal, but they wanted to know "how" loyal.
I agree with Nick. The girls used this as a way to test the loyalty of their newly acquired husbands. They did have fun with them, but they proved the point they were trying to make, which shows their craftiness and intelligence, even for a woman at this time.
Portia and Nerissa were clearly trying to test their husbands faithfulness. Their relationships with their husbands had only been a few weeks old, so they were trying to see what kind of person they married. Portia and Nerissa proved they were very serious about keeping trust in their marriage, and that Bassanio and Gratiano needed to make that a priority too.
Josh Mapalo- 1 Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove how loyal their husbands would be. They gave their husbands their rings and made them promise not to take it off or give it to anyone. They also proved that women,mostly Portia, can be just as smart or even smarter in the court of law in Portia's case smarter. Portia was the only one who thought of her brilliant plan to save Antonio. She also tricked Antonio to give up his ring as well as Nerissa tricking Gratiano.
Portia and Nerissa were not planning to trick their husbands into giving them their rings, but once the situation presented itself, they decided to have a little fun. Clearly they wanted to give Bassanio and Gratiano a heads up to stay true to their word. This situation shows that Bassanio is pretty loose with his speech, as in not willing to back it up, but also that the men need to value the rings. However, it also shows how much Bassaino loves Antonio, as he is willing to give up something so dear to him.
In my Opinion Portia and Nerissa were not trying to prove anything, but only wanted to test the men in two ways. The first thing I feel they wanted to test was if the men were true to their word. By giving up the rings it proves the men could be trusted. They also tested the men to see if they were loyal enough to their marriages to give away the rings they had just received. The men were almost in a trap at this moment as neither of the choices would be good for them.
Joe Somers-5 I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that their spouses would be completely loyal to their words. Alas, this had failed when Bassanio was willing to give up the ring to the judge as an act of kindness. This failed trust had also caused for Gratiano to give up his ring. With the rings now in their possession, Portia and Nerissa had realized that their tests had failed and their husbands broke the vows they had with them. In conclusion, a lack of loyalty to one another was proven when the vows were broken.
Manuel Macias - 1 I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that the rings were a contract on your finger. That once you put it on, you may never part from it until you die. Portia and Nerissa were the only to keep it on. Both Bassanio and Gratiano gave their rings to the Doctor as a gift for saving Antonio's life. They proved that they are more responsible and loyal than the men.
I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove Bassanio's faithfulness and loyalty. They came all the way to Venice to try and help Bassanio with his friend Antonio, because he had asked for help. After the court case the "Two Doctors of Law" Portia and Nerissa, asked for gifts from Bassanio and Gratiano. They were asked for their rings as gifts, but refused to give them because of their loyalty to their wives. However later they gave them their rings, because they believed that they deserved the gift for keeping their friend alive.
Niko Kerschner -1
ReplyDeleteI believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove their superiority to the men in many ways. To begin with, they proved that they had more intellect than the men. Portia was able to save Antonio's life, a feat none of the men were able to do. The women also proved their superiority in loyalty. Both women asked their husbands to keep one item with them at all times and both men end up giving their rings away. I also believe that Portia and Nerissa enjoyed misleading their husbands as a way of getting revenge on them for parting with the rings.
Ian Young-1
DeleteI agree that by Shakespeare adding this scene into the play, he is showing that women can be superior to men in many ways. But, I do not think they are trying to prove they are superior in loyalty. I think they were just trying to test their husbands' loyalty not necessarily prove that they had more loyalty. The testing of the husbands was for more of a comedic affect. They wanted to show that the husbands aren't completely loyal to the ladies.
Zach Sekaran - 6
DeleteI agree that Shakespeare sneaked in one last piece of evidence of Portia's intelligence. The women did not, however, prove that they were more loyal, just far more clever; in fact, Portia and Nerissa had said they were leaving for a monastery.Lastly, the play is a comedy, and the rings provide lighthearted dramatic irony that contrasts with the troublesome conclusion of Shylock's trial.
Phil Volkert-1
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to prove two things in my mind. The first reason I think they took the rings were because they wanted to see if Bassanio would keep his word. Which he did because he gave Nerissa and Portia the rings. The other reason is because Portia and Nerissa wanted to see if their men are faithful and will keep their rings and not give it away.
Danny Wisniewski- 6
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa where trying to prove two things with the rings. The first is they proved is that women can be deceiving to, so do not mess around with them. They also wanted to test Bassanio and Graitanio loyalty, but they gave the rings away. Finally I believe they enjoyed tricking there husbands, almost as a joke.
John Cesarz - 1
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to test their husband's loyalty while having a little fun. Portia made Bassanio swear never to give away the ring, so she decided to trap him in a situation where he would have to break his word no matter what. Either he gave away the ring and broke his word, or he didn't give the ring and broke his word to give anything he had. Portia was trying to see how he would react and test his loyalty and his faithfulness in their marriage. Portia and Nerissa also did this as a joke and for fun, a little test for their husbands.
Aban Khan - 1
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Portia and Nerissa were very clever with the situation involving the rings. As Niko put it, they were trying to prove they had more intellect than the men. Throughout the play, this is shown many times. They were also testing the loyalty of their husbands. Before giving the ring, Bassanio and Gratiano made heartfelt promises to their respective brides, yet they seemed to break that connection so fast. Furthermore, Portia and Nerissa just wanted to have a little fun tricking their husbands.
Sean Runnoe-6
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to find out if they husbands were loyal to them and will do what they say. They wanted to prove that their husbands can be trusted because if Bassanio and Gratiano kept the rings, it proved to the girls that they are trusted with things because they will do whatever their wives say.
Adam Pfankuch -6
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to prove that women are just as smart as men. They were able to trick their own husbands into giving them the rings that they promised to keep until they die. By tricking Bassanio and Gratiano into giving them the rings, they show the men how they should not be taken for granted. Also, it gives Portia and Nerissa something to hold over the men's heads if they displease them.
Brett Walsh -1
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to prove multiple things to their husbands. One would be that they are more loyal then their husbands are. This is because Portia and Nerissa gave them the rings and told them never to give them away. They were trying to test Bassanio and Gratiano's loyalty to their marriage. Another thing that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove was that they are smarter than their husbands. Neither of their husbands could get Antonio out of the bind he was in, but Portia was smart enough to get him out unlike the husbands. The last thing that Nerissa and Portia were trying to prove in my mind was that they were smarter than the husbands in the way that they now have leeway against their husbands without even trying to get it. It just fell into their hands and now they can hold their husbands against it.
Zach Schumacher - 1
ReplyDeleteI think Portia and Nerissa were very wise with their opportunity to test their husbands. Both wives gave their husbands rings and told them they were never to take them off until they die. The men were put to the test when the men offered to give the two wives something after they saved Antonio from death. The women both asked for the rings. Gratiano and Bassanio eventually gave Nerissa and Portia the rings not knowing that the people they were giving them to were their wives. Portia and Nerissa proved to the two men was that they need to be able to trust they husbands at anytime even when they are not near each other
Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that they don't want to be treated similarly to the other women in their culture. In general, women of that time were "controlled" by their husbands. By fooling them, Portia and Nerissa gained the upper hand, so to speak. They proved that they won't accept inferiority and distrust from their newly-wed husbands.
ReplyDeleteMarcelo Quesada - 1
ReplyDeleteI feel that Portia and Nerissa were trying to test not only their husbands' honor, but also to have a little fun. They knew that they had put their husbands between a rock and a hard place, forcing them to choose good manners or loyalty. It only made their situation harder when Portia-in-disguise made Bassanio feel worse because he wouldn't give her the ring after he pledged to give her anything. Overall, I feel that the women were just trying to test their husbands while having fun. Also, they could use them giving away their wedding rings to their advantage later in life.
Thomas Fleischmann - 6
ReplyDeleteI believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to test their husband's loyalty. Both tried feverishly to get the rings from their husbands, and eventually convinced them to hand it over. Both were unloyal to their original promise to never remove their rings from their fingers, which caused Portia and Nerissa to become upset and retaliate the next time they saw them. Plus, they were also trying to mess with them and play a little bit of a prank, considering how grateful Bassanio and Gratiano were for the huge favor they had done just moments before by bringing down Shylock.
Danny McKenna - 1
ReplyDeleteI think that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that they were just as smart, or smarter than their husbands. They had played everyone at court into thinking they were men, and saved Antonio's life. Then they were able to work their husbands into giving their rings away. When this play was written men had superiority over women, Portia and Nerissa wanted to show that they were equal.
Charlie Gutierrez- 6
ReplyDeleteI feel that Nerissa and Portia tried to test their husbands' loyalty and trust. This proved to them they were not as trustful as they thought they were despite both Gratiano and Bassanio taking oaths to always keep the rings no matter what
Chris Klempay- 1
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to test the knowledge of their husbands. They convinced Bassanio and Gratiano to hand over the rings. This made Portia and Nerissa mad, because this means that Bassanio and Gratiano broke their promise of never giving their rings to anyone else.
Joe French- 5
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to prove to Bassanio and Gratiano that they are not taking their marriage lightly. The rings are a symbol of Bassanio's and Gratiano's vow of marriage with their spouses. When Portia and Nerissa are disguised and ask for the rings they wanted to test how serious the boys were about their relationship.
Alex Radocha-1
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to show off their abilities as women to the men. They display that they are more intellectual than men. They also proved that they are more loyal than their husbands because they both gave away their special items. Portia saving Antonio's life was also a good impression for her. Shakespeare is putting a stress on the role of women in this time period and showing how smart they can be.
Nick Cheung- 6
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to show their intellectual abilities, while testing their husbands loyalty. They show their intellectual abilities well because they have gotten Antonio out of his punishment. The husbands fail the loyalty test because the ring that they each have is the one thing that their wives have asked for them to never loose. With the men failing, it proves that the women are more loyal.
Ulysses Quesada - 6
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying accomplish multiple goals when acquiring the rings. First, they wanted to test the loyalty they held to their spouses and also to test their word and see if they would keep it. Portia & Nerissa also accomplished proving that they're both very clever by putting their husbands in an impossible situation such as they did from their own actions. Finally, I believe that they simply wanted to trick their husbands and make fools out of them a little bit.
Tom Barrett-6-
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to prove their husbands' loyalty. When they married, both couples promised to always keep the rings. Gratiano and Bassanio were put in a very difficult situation because the doctors of the law had asked for both rings. They had no other choice but to give their wives' rings away, after all she had saved Antonio's life. When they returned, Portia and Nerissa had asked to see their husband's rings, but neither one had them on. Although this was only a prank, the wives learned that their husbands were devoted to their friends and had no other choice but to give away the ring.
Joshua Surges 5-
DeleteAlthough I agree that Bassanio and Gratiano were in a very difficult position in relation to the rings, I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove the vast consequences/ punishments that would lead to breaking promises with them, not trying to prove their husbands loyalty. Also I believe it was a conscience choice by the married men to give away the rings, not a true requirement.
Stephen Foley - 5
ReplyDeleteI believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to accomplish two things with the rings. First of all, I believe that the women were trying to test the faithfulness of their husbands. The rings were symbols of theirs vows and marriage. They were also something that both Bassanio and Gratiano had sworn to keep. By trying to take the rings from their husbands, they were able to see just how much their word was worth. Taking the rings also proved to show the intelligence of women. While Bassanio and Gratiano were unable to save Antonio, Nerissa and Portia were. taking the rings proves as a reminder for this.
Noah Rauh - 5
ReplyDeleteI believe Portia and Nerissa tried getting the rings to prove one last time that they wiser than what men believe women to be. They used their wits by making it nearly impossible not to give up the rings by begging for Bassanio's after Bassanio said they would give anything to Portia for saving his dear friend Antonio's life. But mostly they did it to test their husbands faith and commitment to the promise they made to keep and treasure the rings that their wives gave them.
Nick Wieber - 6
ReplyDeleteAlthough it can be considered a little unfair, Portia and Nerissa were justified about the rings. They are undoubtedly very intelligent and crafty, but they needed to make sure that their husbands were loyal to them. When Bassanio made the offer to the doctor of law, he did not expect for her (Portia) to ask for the ring. Obviously, he would not have made the offer if he knew that she would ask for the ring. Bassanio dug himself into the hole, and it was his own fault. They know that their husbands are loyal, but they wanted to know "how" loyal.
I agree with Nick. The girls used this as a way to test the loyalty of their newly acquired husbands. They did have fun with them, but they proved the point they were trying to make, which shows their craftiness and intelligence, even for a woman at this time.
DeleteSean O'Brien - 5
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were clearly trying to test their husbands faithfulness. Their relationships with their husbands had only been a few weeks old, so they were trying to see what kind of person they married. Portia and Nerissa proved they were very serious about keeping trust in their marriage, and that Bassanio and Gratiano needed to make that a priority too.
Josh Mapalo- 1
ReplyDeletePortia and Nerissa were trying to prove how loyal their husbands would be. They gave their husbands their rings and made them promise not to take it off or give it to anyone. They also proved that women,mostly Portia, can be just as smart or even smarter in the court of law in Portia's case smarter. Portia was the only one who thought of her brilliant plan to save Antonio. She also tricked Antonio to give up his ring as well as Nerissa tricking Gratiano.
Portia and Nerissa were not planning to trick their husbands into giving them their rings, but once the situation presented itself, they decided to have a little fun. Clearly they wanted to give Bassanio and Gratiano a heads up to stay true to their word. This situation shows that Bassanio is pretty loose with his speech, as in not willing to back it up, but also that the men need to value the rings. However, it also shows how much Bassaino loves Antonio, as he is willing to give up something so dear to him.
ReplyDeleteIn my Opinion Portia and Nerissa were not trying to prove anything, but only wanted to test the men in two ways. The first thing I feel they wanted to test was if the men were true to their word. By giving up the rings it proves the men could be trusted. They also tested the men to see if they were loyal enough to their marriages to give away the rings they had just received. The men were almost in a trap at this moment as neither of the choices would be good for them.
ReplyDeleteJoe Somers-5
ReplyDeleteI believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that their spouses would be completely loyal to their words. Alas, this had failed when Bassanio was willing to give up the ring to the judge as an act of kindness. This failed trust had also caused for Gratiano to give up his ring. With the rings now in their possession, Portia and Nerissa had realized that their tests had failed and their husbands broke the vows they had with them. In conclusion, a lack of loyalty to one another was proven when the vows were broken.
Manuel Macias - 1
ReplyDeleteI believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove that the rings were a contract on your finger. That once you put it on, you may never part from it until you die. Portia and Nerissa were the only to keep it on. Both Bassanio and Gratiano gave their rings to the Doctor as a gift for saving Antonio's life. They proved that they are more responsible and loyal than the men.
I believe that Portia and Nerissa were trying to prove Bassanio's faithfulness and loyalty. They came all the way to Venice to try and help Bassanio with his friend Antonio, because he had asked for help. After the court case the "Two Doctors of Law" Portia and Nerissa, asked for gifts from Bassanio and Gratiano. They were asked for their rings as gifts, but refused to give them because of their loyalty to their wives. However later they gave them their rings, because they believed that they deserved the gift for keeping their friend alive.
ReplyDelete