Question

read the passage. then answer the question that follows.
portia. i must go in. ay me! how weak a thing
the heart of woman is! o brutus,
the heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!—
sure, the boy heard me. brutus hath a suit
that caesar will not grant. o, i grow faint!
run, lucius, and commend me to my lord.
say i am merry. come to me again,
and bring me word what he doth say to thee.
—the tragedy of julius caesar,
william shakespeare
what impact does the image of a \heart of a woman\ have on the audience?
○ it shows the audience that portia is always weak and worries about fainting.
○ it shows the audience that portia loves her husband and is worried about him.
○ it shows the audience that portia is jealous and wants to go to the senate with brutus.
○ it shows the audience that portia is deceitful and sends the boy to tell a lie to her husband.

Explanation:

To determine the impact of the "heart of a woman" image, analyze Portia's lines. She expresses concern for Brutus (e.g., "The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise") and worry about his suit to Caesar. The first option is incorrect as "always weak" is an overstatement. The third is wrong—no jealousy or desire to go to Senate. The fourth is wrong—she isn't deceitful; she asks Lucius to tell Brutus she's merry (to hide her worry), not lie maliciously. The second option fits: her concern shows love and worry for Brutus.

Answer:

B. It shows the audience that Portia loves her husband and is worried about him.