Celebrating Shakespeare's Portia: A Tribute to Aristotle's Ethos, Pathos and Logos, in The Merchant of Venice

Ethos, pathos and logos frame effective rhetoric. The three basic ingredients together offer an intertwined thread in communicating emotion that is stronger and worthier than any other individual thread. Aristotle views ethos as a morally virtuous activity that reflects quality of one's character. He understands pathos as feelings, emotions that can be positive or negative and thus the impact and the response. By logos Aristotle counterparts with an analysis of an object through a structured principle that is rational and comprehensible. Employing ethos, pathos and logos during communication does not make people believe what is wrong or right; rather provides strong arguments when argued unfairly so that one can make confutation. Clear contents and supportive views often lead to arguments that are always easy to prove. Shakespeare is very passionate about the art and skill of delivery of speech. His fascination towards eloquence is widely found in his plays. Shakespeare as a classic dramatist sequesters and explores the rhetorical practice, its nature in Portia who is believed to have the command to stir emotions among the audiences. This paper exhibits the concept of ethos, pathos, and logos as demonstrated by Portia through various acts and scenes that are not only critical in their sense but also a composition of boundless multiplicity of combination of ethics, emotions and logic expressing the real state of an appeal to ethos, pathos and logos in the play.