“…they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that starve with nothing. It is no mean happiness, therefore, to be seated in the mean” (Shakespeare I. ii. 13).
Shakespeare first introduces Portia as she nervously discusses her imminent marriage. Nerissa, her maid, shrewdly notes that Portia should be aware that everyone is unhappy at times, even those that “surfeit,” or enjoy an extremely comfortable living style, as well as those “that starve with nothing.” Nerissa concludes that neither extreme will allow a person to obtain happiness, but only if they are “seated in the mean.” Nerissa ultimately showcases a rare and individual knowledge which the other characters fail to possess. Unlike the others, Nerissa is not tainted or persuaded by greed, which allows her to recognize that happiness does not come from riches. Previously, Shylock, Antonio, and Bassanio all reveal their governing interests in wealth, yet they all do not profess a state of happiness. Nerissa’s theory contributes to the development of the role of greed throughout the play, and she foreshadows how interest in money is not satisfying enough.
Jacky--A very insightful reading of Nerissa's character as, herself, situated in the mean--neither too rich nor too poor, neither wanting nor avaricious. Nice.
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