Aphorisms & Language

Molly Hone
1.2, lines 1-19. (I cut off the passage at line 19 for this post, before Portia’s predicament and suitors are fully discussed.)

In the first exchange between Portia and her waiting-woman, Nerissa, a simple expression of sadness by the former elicits advice from the latter in the form of multiple aphorisms. Portia responds to these aphorisms with aphorisms of her own that explain her inability and reluctance to follow the advice.

The aphorisms exchanged, such as “It is no mean happiness, therefore to be seated in the mean” (lines 6-7, 1.2.1125, Nerissa), and “It is a good divine that follows his own instructions” (line 14, 1.2.1125, Portia), could seem almost nonsensical to a reader because of their abundance and lack of segue. There are at least 5 clear aphorisms in this passage, and the language of the lines in between them are similar in structure, voice, and function (e.g. “They would be better if well followed” [line 10, 1.2.1125, Nerissa]), rendering the language of the passage mostly aphoristic.

This rapid delivery of the aphorisms, as well as the overall aphoristic tone, suggest that such general advice lacks meaning and importance. This setup could also serve to argue that general advice lacks an adequate applicability to reality. Shakespeare is playing with self-reflexivity in this passage, and instead of creating nonsense he is, presumably, foreshadowing the events of the play.

This self-reflexive setup also seems to comment on internal conflict and moral ambiguity. Portia remarks in the passage that it is not easy to do what one knows is right. Churning out aphorisms like an assembly line is very different from following them. Pondering the actions one may take in a given situation is very different from being in that situation and having to decide on a “right” or beneficial course of action. 

When Portia remarks that the advice will not be able to help her in choosing a suitor, having already previously put the responsibility on herself, not the concept of general advice, she is using the passive voice. Is this an illustration of the alternately weak/strong power that general, aphoristic advice can have? Or is she simply being sarcastic? It seems that her language (“But this reasoning is not in the fashion” [line 19, 1.2.1125]) is playfully, but contradictorially, disowning her previously-stated responsibility. It is interesting, too, how Portia’s words in this line sound so similar to the aphorisms in their passivity. 

This might be a total over-analysis of the passage, but I find that as I read, I have to remember that Shakespeare’s linguistic precision gives each word a lot of weight and purpose, and over-analysis may be difficult to avoid sometimes.

Why Shakespeare is seemingly putting the character of Portia at odds with her own language in this fragment is unclear to me. It might be just a flourish of language, or it might be an important foreshadow of events and themes. Again, I might be completely overanalyzing this short passage and its language.