Portia

I believe Portia is one of the most admirable female characers in all of literature. We don't necessarily have to like her, but we gotta admire her!

Portia respects her father enough to trust his judgment about choosing her husband-to-be...and she immediately wants to help that husband's friend. She outwits every male she encounters in the play. She shows a great sense of humor when she entertains the various suitors. She has all the men in the court believing that she is a male. She turns the whole notion of "the letter of the law" on its head when she beats Shylock at his own game. She entrats Shylock to show mercy, and after he refuses, she shows him some mercy (though, I would argue, not enugh, as he is completely devastated at the end of the play). She shows more humor in the ring plot as she tests and teases Bassanio. This goes a bit too far for me, but I have to admit she is clever, humorous, and outdoes all the men!