Perhaps one of William Shakespeare's most famous comedies, The Merchant of Venice features the Game of the Three Caskets with the high stakes of marriage to the rich and beautiful Portia, if you wish it properly, or a life of solitude should you fail. The character Bassanio accepts the precarious challenge and, having chosen correctly, gives one of the most popular speeches in the play. The speech is widely analyzed for its peculiar language which lends itself to speculation as to what Bassanio actually thinks of Portia and winning the match. After a careful reading of the speech, Bassanio's dialogue can be interpreted to express his fear of Portia's overwhelming beauty and of being married to such an independent and wealthy woman. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Inside the winning chest is a photo of Portia, which Bassanio picks up before beginning his speech. Bassanio announces: “The painter plays the part of the spider, and has woven / A mesh of gold to untangle the hearts of men / Faster than gnats in cobwebs” (III.ii.121-123). Initially this statement is read as a compliment to Portia's great beauty, claiming that her hair is so seductive that it traps the hearts of all men. But trapping men's hearts has a sinister undertone, potentially suggesting that Bassanio believes Portia is luring men with her good looks and dooming them to a life alone when they inevitably fail. This creates a Medusa-like characterization of Portia as she uses her beauty to ensure that these men will never be able to commit to another woman in the future. As the conversation continues, Bassanio stares at Portia's portrait, both with admiration and apprehension. it's not entirely clear. Bassanio states: “But his eyes – / How could he see to make them? Having made one, / I think he should have the power to steal both of his / And leave himself without furniture” (III.ii.123-126). Bassanio expects the power of Portia's eyes to prevent the painter from being able to finish the portrait, which once again makes the audience wonder whether this statement is meant to be a compliment or an admission of fear. The way Bassanio describes her eyes as having the power to permanently steal a man's gaze reaffirms Portia's characterization of Medusa. Upon locking eyes with Medusa, any man would immediately be turned to stone and barred from returning home. Bassanio assumes that Portia's eyes have a similar power and expects that the painter, looking into Portia's eyes, will never be able to look away and finish the portrait. While it can be argued that the intent of Bassanio's statement is to compliment the beauty of Portia's eyes, the story of Medusa served to warn against the power that comes from such profound beauty. When Bassanio finally breaks his fixation on the portrait, he begins to compare Portia's real life with the portrait of Portia in the coffin. Bassanio utters, “Yet see how far / The substance of my praise wrongs this shadow / Underestimating it, so far this shadow / limps behind the substance” (III.ii.126-129). Bassanio announces to Portia that both her portrait and his praise of her beauty do not do justice to the true beauty of the real Portia. If Bassanio's previous remarks are actually intended to characterize Portia as Medusa, his statement takes on a very negative meaning. Since the image is only an imitation of Portia, the real Portia would be all the more so..