There are many similarities and differences between Portia and Jessica. For starters, they are both the same sex. In Shakespeare's time, sexism was very common. So they were both treated equally in society as women. Portia and Jessica both struggle with romance in the play. Jessica, a Jewish girl, fell in love with a Christian. Portia, a Christian woman, has no control over who she marries and loves for the rest of her life. Jessica hates her father because he is so cruel and unsympathetic. Eventually he runs away from home. Portia doesn't hate her father, but he's dead. His decisions in the will contribute to Portia struggling with her romance. Another similarity between Portia and Jessica is that they both have only one man in mind. Jessica is determined to marry Lorenzo while Portia wants to marry Bassanio. Both Jessica and Portia also have close friendships in the play. Jessica becomes friends with Lancelot and Portia has Nerissa as her lady-in-waiting. One of the main differences between the two women is that Jessica is Jewish and Portia is Christian. Because Jessica is Jewish, she is required to live in the “ghetto.” Jessica lives in Belmont while Portia lives in Venice. Portia comes from a much better financial background than Jessica. Portia is incredibly rich. Jessica has a lot more rebellion than Portia. He even gives away his mother's ring in exchange for a monkey. Jesssica escapes her father's control by running away and eloping with Lorenzo. Portia on the other hand has a much more responsible character than Jessica. Although her father is dead, she continues to follow the oath she made according to her father's will. Portia follows the rule, and... middle of the paper... ew reacts the same way as a Christian when it comes to everyday life. They are fed the same food, injured by the same weapons, killed by the same diseases and even healed by the same medicine. They react the same way, laughing, if tickled, and both die if poisoned. After Shylock insists on all the similarities between a Jew and a Christian, his monologue takes a different turn. He begins by explaining how the wickedness he practices he simply learned from Christians themselves. Shylock says that since they are similar in so many ways, he might as well practice the same wickedness with Christians as Christians do with Jews. It is then that his monologue turns not only into a threat, but also into a promise. Shylock promises Solanio and Salarino that he will carry out the same evil he was taught, but his instructions will be far better than those of a Christian..