Portia's trait in Merchant of venice

It has been 9 long years since i first stumbled upon an intriguing character from Shakespeare most renowned novel "Merchant of Venice".She goes by the name Portia ,In Bassanio's(another character of MOV) exact words she is "fair, and fairer than that word,of wondrous virtue".However she was deprived of the will to choose any one she desires to engage in matrimony by her father.She was bound to this ridiculous fate since her father before dying weaved a brilliant plan and this plan would lead to the man who construes well the significance of tht lay before his eyes and looks beyond the glitters and dazzling exterior which shrouds the rotten kernel.

Although Portia was dreary of her father's wish,she had maintained her calm and treated every suitors with respect and each one got a fair chance to win her.Lets think over,Prejudice was non-existent? Bassanio ,of all people ,could interpret intelligibly the inscription on the caskets! He who squandered his best friend antonio's money and could never secure prospect whatsoever ,walked through the maze brought upon him by the riddle on each casket and lands right into the lap of great fortune after having won the most beautiful woman of Belmont.

Absolutely Hokum!

Portia was too mesmerized by bassanio to settle for anyone on her father's accord.Like every woman she was manipulative ,so she played the song only when it was the turn of the man she will have at any cost and already considered to be the only man to be in bed with for rest of her life.The Song i speak of went as follows
"SONG.
Tell me where is fancy bred,
Or in the heart, or in the head?
How begot, how nourished?
Reply, reply.
It is engender'd in the eyes,
With gazing fed; and fancy dies
In the cradle where it lies.
Let us all ring fancy's knell
I'll begin it,--Ding, dong, bell.

ALL
Ding, dong, b

"
If the first two lines are examined closely , the last word on each line rhymes with lead and tht was the winning casket.Portia didnt trust bassanio's instinct to make the right choice so found it necessary to assist him by playing the song."If you do love me you will find me out" was just a sham.She insisted on deferring bassanio's attempt and if she had her way she would have escorted him to the right casket and put an end to the anxiety once for all but she was fore sworn.Well all she did was sent out a signal with the frequency which only bassanio's broken receiver could catch.
Portia was not just a lamenting person ,she was also portrayed as witty as to the extent how mischievous dennis was(yeah i know great analogy).She defended Antonio by urging "Wronged" shylock to retreat from what he claimed "a pound of flesh" and be merciful.She doled out a riveting speech on Mercy :

"The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice."

When "Wronged" shylock had shown no compassion for antonio and stood by his bond ,portia dexterity sprung out into action and turn the table upon him. In her exact words:
"This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood The words expressly are a pound of flesh Take then thy bond take thou thy pound of flesh But in the cutting it if thou dost shed One drop of Christian blood thy lands and goods Are by the laws of Venice confiscate Unto the state of Venice.""

Henceforth her brilliant interpose did justice to Antonio and rendered shylock squealing like a dog.She was ruthless and she would not revert to the former proposition.She didnt pity the grovelling shylock,instead imposed heavier charges on him. Portia had intervened bit too much than she was suppose to,Well sure shylock was on the verge of taking Antonio's life but portia hardly knew either of them.Being married to bassanio will not suffice,she had crippled an old man who was bereft ofeverything he had.Her prosecution was uncalled for and prejudicial. If i was amongst the audience, i would go:
" Hey , Yo Portia, relax woman,that man is on his knees devastated for wht fate has brought upon him, his daughter stole all his money and ran away with a christian whoi cant believe to be referred as gentle man by antonio!!!!!.Speaking of Antonio,he has wronged shylock several times in the past and which cant be condoned. So i believe ur character just failed to hold on to the admiration i had in the beginning."