Write the character sketch of Nerissa.

Ans.

NERISSA

As Gratiano is a constant companion of Bassanio, Nerissa is a constant companion of Portia, the lady of Belmont. She occupies a very important place among the minor characters.

Nerissa is more than a maid servant or a constant companion. She is a confidant and confidential advisor of Portia. She does not have to request to or seek permission from Portia to accompany her to Venice as Gratiano has to do when Bassanio decides to visit Belmont.

She is not an ordinary servant. She too has claims to intellectual caliber and quite often indulges in intellectual discussion and discourse with Portia.

Nerissa is also a lady of parts otherwise acceptable to Portia a lady of being the mistress of huge property who is living alone, her parents being dead.

Nerissa is a lady of great intelligence. She is very reliable and devoid to Nerissa.

She is like her mistress Portia, gifted with the talent of enjoying good humouredly a comic or an interesting situation. Thus she possesses a very cultured sense of humour. Her role in the story of the rings is an evidence of it. She imitates Portia’s tone and manners as Gratiano imitates Bassanio’s.

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