 Studying the Merchant of Venice, here's how you can analyse Act 1, Scene 2. The scene opens with Portia in Belmont. This hyperbole shows that she is melancholic just like Antonio. She says the world of a living daughter curbed by the world of a dead father. The oxymoron hair shows that Portia is frustrated by the world of her father. Narissa, her lady in waiting, then explains her father's world hair. He basically has three caskets with gold, silver and lead and whoever chooses the right one wins Portia's hand in marriage. Narissa then reminds Portia of all her suitors and Portia wittily says the reasons why she hated all of them. Yet Narissa uses the rule of three hair to mention Bessonio. He is the only guy that Portia really liked. The servant then tells Portia a fifth suitor has come. Portia then replies by saying this and she uses oxymoron hair and hair to show that she doesn't really like the Prince of Morocco because he is Arab. This establishes the theme of racial prejudice that will run throughout this play.