Portia's Schemes

It seems to me, that the brains behind much of the planning in this play is Portia. She schemes to not only save Antonio's life, but also to strip Shylock of his property, life as he knows it, and most importantly, his religion. She is definitely wise, in addition, she tests her new husband's devotion to her by asking while in disguise for the ring he wears which she herself gave him. By asking Bassanio for his ring, and him eventually giving it up; Portia shows that she is more clever than the men in the play. Shakespeare's introduction of Bassanio and the ring game tests the boundaries of the possibility of a homo erotic relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. Antonio claims that his friend’s love for him should “be valued ‘gainst your wife’s commandement” (act 4 scene 1 line 447). At the closing of Act 4, it seems Portia is planning of a new scheme involving the husbands, and their lack of rings; she states "I warrant we shall have old swearing, that they did give the rings away to men. But we'll outface them, and outswear them too".