The Prince is, firstly, straightforward and direct. He is also quite honest about what he knows others may think of him. This is apparent from the first few lines of his address to Portia, when he tells her:
Mislike me not for my complexion,
The shadow'd livery of the burnish'd sun,
To whom I am a neighbour and near bred.
He shows an awareness of the prejudice against those who are darker-skinned and asks Portia not to judge him on his skin-colour alone, but that she should bring forth the handsomest of her suitors and that they should draw blood to see whose is the reddest:
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles,
And let us make incision for your love,
To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine.
The Prince is also clearly somewhat vain, for he declares that the hue of his blood has frightened even the bravest and that the most beautiful virgins of his country also loved his blood. He is obviously quite impressed by his prowess and he proudly proclaims that he would never change his skin tone, except 'to steal' Portia's thoughts.
The Prince has a generally positive attitude and brags somewhat about his ability as a swordsman and his exaggerated expressions about wolves and bears indicate that he is sure of himself. He is somewhat overwhelmed by his own abilities and wishes to take his chance with the caskets immediately. Portia actually stays his enthusiasm and asks him to first have dinner and try his hand after that.
Further evidence of the Prince's conceit is shown when he ventures to choose a casket. When he reads the inscription on the lead one he states:
A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross;
I'll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead.
The fact that he believes his mind 'golden' indicates that he sees himself as highly intelligent and that lead is beneath him and he therefore rejects it outright. He continues in the same vein when he is confronted by the silver casket which states that the one who chooses it will get as much as he deserves. The Prince believes he deserves Portia for they are equal in wealth and status. He also deserves to be paid in kind for his love. He is, however, fearful of selecting this casket because he later reasons that it is ten times less the value of gold.
He eventually chooses the gold casket since he believes Portia is worth her value in the metal and he, obviously, deserves only the best. Finally, the Prince proves that he is a true gentleman for he states:
Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus losers part.
His departure is not as abrupt as that of the other suitors who essentially leave without saying a word.
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