When Portia talks about her various suitors, we are given a look into her true thoughts on marriage. Portia agreeing to go along with her fathers casket game may make it appear that she likes the idea of marriage, and she wants to be married; but when thinking about it more, it seems that she is only doing this game because this way she has an excuse for not already being married, as well as for not actively looking for a husband. This game allows her to sit idly while watching suitor after suitor fail at her father's game. Another part that hints to her not liking the idea of marriage is the way that she only sees the negatives in her suitors. As Nerissa lists off suitor after suitor, Portia just lists insult after insult, problem after problem of each of these men. She says things about them like "his mother played false with a smith" (1.2.39-40), "he doth nothing but frown" (1.2.42), and "he will fence his own shadow" (1.2.55). She only sees the bad parts of these men, because thats all she wants to see. She's afraid that if she were to actually get to know one of these men, without only looking for their bad qualities, that she would actually like them. And then, she might end up marrying him. Portia has bad feelings about marriage, and that is why she comments on all their not so great features.
"
