Merchant of Venice Mercy and Justice - 1091 Words

The Merchant of Venice Ever been in a situation where you do not know whether to be fair or bend the rules a bit? In The Merchant of Venice, mercy and justice are the continuing predominant themes. Situations occur, that doing the just act does not seem to be correct or the right thing to do. Technically, the correct thing to do is to follow and abide by justice and the law. For in this case, justice means the taking of a man’s life for the greed and sick revenge of another man. One of the true morals in this play is to be careful for what you wish for. Just as Shylock asked for justice, and in the end, justice was served. Throughout The Merchant of Venice, the themes of mercy and justice are continuously contradicting when it comes to†¦show more content†¦She follows to say, â€Å"if thou dost shed / One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods / Are by the laws of Venice confiscate / Unto the state of Venice,† (IV.1.322-325). The second Shylock heard this part of the contract, he immediately took his words back. He said, â€Å"I take this offer then. Pay the bond thrice / And let the Christian go,† (IV.1.332-334). He has taken back his lust for justice and wants his money back so he can just leave. Portia however makes his situation worse for Shylock by bringing out more laws that get Shylock in bad situations. She insists that Antonio’s flesh be cut and given to Shylock. Portia as her final attack at Shylock said to the court, â€Å"If it be proved against an alien / That by direct or indirect attempts / He seek the life of any citizen / The party ‘gainst the which he doth contrive / Shall seize one half his goods; the other half / Comes to the privy coffer of the state / And the offender’s life lies in the mercy / Of the Duke only, ‘gainst all other voice,† (IV.1.364-371). It turned out to be very ironic how Shylock had held grasp of someone’s life and now his life is in the hands of the Duke. Antonio begged Shylock to rethink the contract and be merciful. Now Shylock is asking for mercy and half of his property and goods is going to the very man he swore an oath to kill. It is very funny how such a small missed detail caused such a great deal of events to occur. Portia then asked Antonio,Show MoreRelated A Comparison of Justice in The Tempest and Merchant of Venice738 Words   |  3 PagesJustice in The Tempest and Merchant of Venice nbsp; In both Merchant of Venice and The Tempest, Shakespeare proposes ideas of justice and mercy that hold true in both plays. In order to see if the actions taken were just and/or merciful, definitions of these words must be set up. If we were to assume that Shakespeares definition of mercy was what Portia espoused in act four, scene one, specifically lines 205 - 206, the definition of mercy must be viewed in a biblical sense. Thus, in orderRead More Justice and Prosperity in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1545 Words   |  7 Pages One of the strengths of good theater is its ability to mirror the problems and conditions shaping its time. In The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare reflects two important aspects of Elizabethan society: the corrupting influence of prosperity and the increasingly vengeful nature of Venetian justice. To address the former issue, Shakespeare downplays the importance of wealth by associating its involvement in romance with superficial and insubstantial advantages. He characterizes prosperityRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice929 Words   |  4 Pages The court scene in â€Å" The Merchant of Venice† along with â€Å"Measure of Measure† are two of the most read court scenes in Shakespeare s plays. The court scene in â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† is a window into the world of Elizabethan Law, and some of the issues that citizens had with the trying to find justice. It also shadows problems in our current legal system that are a source of conte ntion today. Below I intend to show that Shakespeare, because of his knowledge of the legal system, was well awareRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice - Trial Scene1350 Words   |  6 PagesKimberley Williamson â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† Analyse how ONE main character’s attempts to solve a problem were important to the text as a whole. In the text, â€Å"The Merchant of Venice,† written and performed by Shakespeare, Antonio, the merchant, borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to send his friend Bassanio overseas to woo and marry Portia. However, failing to pay back the money in time, Shylock takes Antonio to court demanding a pound of his flesh in payment. Portia, oneRead More Essay on Justice vs. Morality in Measure for Measure and Merchant of Venice1107 Words   |  5 PagesJustice vs. Morality in Measure for Measure and Merchant of Venice    There are many similarities shared between Shakespeares plays, Measure for Measure, and The Merchant of Venice.   The underlying theme of each work is well defined by the phrase Justice without the temperance of mercy, is power misused.   I will support this claim by drawing upon some of the characters and situations that are consistent in each story. In each story a mans life depends on the interpretation, andRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice : Comedy Or Tragedy? Essay1416 Words   |  6 PagesDecember 2015 The Merchant of Venice: Comedy or Tragedy? Intro: William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a perplexing story of dark humor, race, religion, identity, love, and justice. Generally, most people understand The Merchant of Venice as a comedy about a bitter and outcasted Jewish moneylender named Shylock who seeks revenge against a Christian merchant who has failed to pay his loan back. However, there are many different perspectives on whether The Merchant of Venice is a comedy orRead MoreThe Societies Portrayed By Machiavelli And Shakespeare1423 Words   |  6 Pagesand how they will enacted justice over the people they rule. Justice in this sense can be how laws are interpreted, or treatment of a people. Justice will be swayed in some way of form, depending on how every the leader or leaders see fit, and they usually always use it to benefit themselves. The individuals that have the most power in a society determine what justice is, in order to benefit themselves; this is depicted by the individuals in The Prince an d Merchant of Venice. According to MachiavelliRead MoreEssay on Discrimination in The Merchant of Venice1400 Words   |  6 PagesDiscrimination is a resounding theme in The Merchant of Venice (Meyers). All of the characters are affected by inequality. This inequity is evidenced clearly in Shylock, the Jewish usurer. He is treated with scorn and derision by all the characters. Shylock’s misfortunes stem not from poor attributes or even a poor background; it stems from the fact he is Jewish, and what is more, he is impenitent of that distinction. If he had been more daunted by Christian influence, he might have been forgivenRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1276 Words   |  6 PagesThe Merchant of Venice Character Symbols Portia, Shylock and Antonio are human symbols of their allegorical meanings in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare, through his plays, uses allegory to express hidden meanings through his characters, using them as symbols to send those messages to his audience. In his play, The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare introduces his readers to three important characters, Portia, Shylock and Antonio, who represent spiritual and moral meanings through theirRead MoreMerchant of Venice by William Shakespeare830 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice is a story about man seeking justice for the forfeiture of his bond. Shylock the Jew created a bond loaning three thousand ducats to his rival Antonio. In the event that the loan could not be paid back, Shylock was entitled to a â€Å"pound of flesh from the breast† of Antonio. Antonio’s invested the money in his merchant ships hoping to gain profit. Unfortunately he loses his ships at sea, losing everything Shylock had loaned him. Shylock happily takes Antonio