Julius Caesar Portia Character Analysis

In the play, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Portia is a loyal and faithful wife to Brutus. Portia is awakened by her husband and wants to know what is bothering him. In Act 1, Scene 1, Page 12 He refuses to tell her and dishonestly says that he is sick, But Portia is smarter than that and knows he is lying ( I’m not feeling well—that’s all) Brutus says. She gets frustrated with him and says as a married couple they should have no secrets. (…Tell me, Brutus, as your wife, aren’t you supposed to be told the secrets that concern you?...If it’s nothing more than that, then I’m your whore, not a wife.”(Act 2, Scene 1, Page 12-13). In other words, Portia is tired of being left out from her husband life just because she is a woman. Once she

(If that were true, then I’d know your secret… Do you really think I’m no stronger than the rest of my sex, with such a father and such a husband? ... I’ve proved my trustworthiness by giving myself a voluntary wound here in my thigh. If I can bear that pain, then I can bear my husband’s secrets.”(Act 2, Scene 1, Page 13). Here Portia says that even though she is a girl, being the

They stayed indoors and dedicated their time to the household. A wife always had to stay in the shadows of her husband. There was always a limit to their freedom even if you were in a family of a higher class. Roman women were not allowed to be involved in politics, and they were not even taught how to write. Women were responsible for spinning, weaving and making clothes. The lives of women was different based on their position in society. The women who came from a higher class had much of their daily work done by slaves. A wealthy lady would spend much of their days mingling and planning things with their friends. Women were in charge of raising children and keeping up with the