The Merchant of Venice Nerissa Quotes

Nerissa insists that Portia's father had good intentions when he devised the casket contest as a way to determine Portia's husband. (Whoever picks the correct casket gets Portia and all of her dead dad's money.) Yet we can also read the casket contest as a way for Portia's dad to control where his wealth goes. By orchestrating his daughter's marriage from beyond the grave, Portia's father is able to transmit all of his wealth to the man of his choosing, which is why Portia complains that she is a "living daughter curbed by the will / of a dead father" (1.2.3).

The casket contest for Portia's hand in marriage is a pretty risky undertaking: if a suitor chooses the wrong casket, he can never pursue marriage (with anybody) again. Here we learn that some of the suitors would rather not play this game. They clearly desired marriage (or they wouldn't have shown up), but it isn't worth the risk. This pretty much automatically disqualifies them from being worthy of marrying Portia. It seems her father was looking for someone who'd be willing to risk everything for the girl.

Here Nerissa is commenting on the precariousness of the marriage lottery that Portia's father has arranged. But still—we don't know about you, but when we hear anyone compare "wiving" (courtship) to "hanging," we get a little nervous.