True or False
Portia lives in Belmont.
✅true
Who is Portia's husband in The Merchant of Venice?
A) Antonio
B) Gratiano
C) Bassanio
D) Lorenzo
c)Bassanio
1) Portia creates a clever __________ to hide her true self.
disguise
Portia dressed up as a princess to attend a party in Venice.
✅ Hint: What did Portia dress as, and why did she go to Venice?
Mistake: She dressed as a lawyer, not a princess, and went to court, not a party.
Portia disguises herself as a judge to help Shylock win the trial.
❌ False – She disguises herself to help Antonio, not Shylock.
What item does Portia give to Bassanio after the trial, disguised as the lawyer?
A) A book
B) A letter
C) A locket
D) A ring
D) A ring
2) She plans to __________ Antonio in the courtroom.
defend
Portia told everyone her plan before she went to court to save Bassanio from Shylock.
✅ Hint: Who did she try to save? Did she keep the plan secret?
Mistakes:
She kept her plan secret.
She saved Antonio, not Bassanio.
Portia’s disguise allows her to enter a courtroom where women aren’t allowed to speak.
✅ True
Why does Portia choose to disguise herself as a male lawyer in Act 3, Scene 4 of The Merchant of Venice?
A) She wants to escape from Belmont and travel freely.
B) She is trying to test Bassanio's loyalty to her.
C) She wants to help Antonio in court and knows she needs to disguise herself to do so.
D) She plans to permanently take on a male identity.
C, because he wants to help Antonio in court and knows she needs to disguise herself to do so.
3) To trick everyone, she dresses like a __________.
lawyer
Portia failed in the courtroom because she didn’t understand the law. Shylock won the case.
✅ Hint: What happened in court? Who won?
Mistakes:
Portia did not fail—she was successful.
She understood the law very well.
Antonio won, not Shylock.
Only Bassanio knows Portia’s plan to disguise herself as a lawyer.
❌ False – Nerissa, her maid, also knows and joins her in disguise.
What theme is best represented by Portia’s decision to disguise herself as a man?
A) Revenge
B) Loyalty
C) Identity and gender roles
D) Wealth and status
C) Identity and gender roles
4) She goes to the __________ where the judge decides if Antonio is guilty.
trial,
In Act 3, Scene 4, Portia tells Nerissa she wants to trick Bassanio by pretending to be a judge and giving him a test.
✅ Hint: Did she want to trick Bassanio? Who was the trick for?
Mistakes:
Portia wanted to help Antonio, not trick Bassanio.
She dressed as a lawyer, not a judge.
It wasn’t a test—it was part of her plan for justice.
Portia quotes the law about foreigners threatening Venetian citizens to trap Shylock during the trial.
✅ True
how does Portia's disguise affect the courtroom scene and the resolution of the trial?
A) It causes confusion that delays the trial.
B) It allows her to secretly protect Shylock.
C) It lets her use intelligence and authority to save Antonio while staying anonymous.
D) It results in her being arrested for impersonation.
C) Because her disguise allows her to speak in court, and save Antonio without revealing her true identity.
5) Portia’s __________ is hidden under the clothes of a man.
identity
Portia’s actions in disguise have little impact on the story’s themes, since she is just pretending for fun and doesn’t change anything important.
✅ Hint: Did her disguise matter to the plot or themes?
Mistakes:
Her disguise is very important to the story’s themes.
She isn’t pretending for fun—she’s saving Antonio.
She changes the trial and shows how women can be powerful.