How does Shakespeare present the character of Portia in an interesting way in The Merchant of Venice?

To me, the most interesting thing about Portia is how thoroughly she works around her limitations as a woman, wife, and daughter. Society has some pretty strict standards for her to maintain, but she is both daring and clever in doing what she wants in spite of them. For example, despite her father's outrageous plan to control her marriage prospects from beyond the grave, Portia still finds a way to hint to Bassanio the correct choice and marries the man she wants. When Shylock comes calling for Antonio's pound of flesh, Portia again shows her worth, dressing as a lawyer and winning Antonio's case thoroughly, making her new husband indebted to her in the process. Finally, when she knows that Bassanio's loyalties still lie with his friend Antonio, she cross-dresses once again to trick him into giving up his wedding ring, so she can confront him and make him feel guilty and thus more in Portia's debt. She may be manipulative, but Portia knows how to play the game