Themes- Justice And Mercy Flashcards
How is Justice interpreted differently by different characters?
Shakespeare explores this idea using the quarrel between Antonio and Shylock. The Christian characters cannot understand why Shylock doesn’t drop his case against Antonio, they think that paying off Antonio’s debt should give Shylock justice, but Shylock disagrees. Shylock’s view of justice is different. He has suffered abuse from Antonio for a long time and sees the bond as an opportunity to make him suffer in return. “The villainy you teach me, I will execute”. These different attitudes towards Justice can be found in the two main sections of the Bible- the Old and New testament.
In the OT, justice works on the principle that the penalty for any crime must be as severe as the crime itself. This is similar to Shylock’s vengeful attitude that Shylock adapts through the play. In the OT, Christians are encouraged to show forgiveness to those who wrong him. This is the merciful attitude the Christian characters wanted Shylock to show Antonio. These contrasting views on justice makes it impossible for the court case between Antonio and Shylock to be resolved fairly. Whatever the outcome one of them will see the result as unjust
How does the court initially give Shylock confidence?
16th century Venice was its own state and therefore made its own laws. These promoted fairness and equality for all, the courtroom is the only place Shylock believes he can get justice despite being Jewish. The law gives Shylock power over christian characters. He reminds the Duke that he can’t deny him his bond, saying that to do so would violate his “freedom” he’s meant to protect. Shylock allows himself to become overconfident which makes his change in fortune later more dramatic because he doesn’t see it coming
The Christian characters do recognise that Shylock has the upper hand. When Bassanio asks Portia to bend the rules for Antonio, she tells him that “no power in venice/ can alter a decree established”. This makes it seem almost inevitable that the court will rule in Shylock’s favour which adds to the tension
How is Shylock’s confidence misplaced?
Portia undermines Shylock’s faith in the law by turning it against him. When she says he can’t take Antonio’s blood, he asks “is that the law” which shows his surprise. In legal terms, Shylock does receive justice but not the justice he thinks he’s entitled to. His preoccupation with revenge and his stubborn refusal to show mercy to Antonio ultimately results in his downfall ,which shows that the law isn’t an effective means of justice for everyone
How do the Christian characters urge Shylock to show mercy?
The play’s Christian characters strongly believe in showing mercy to others as they attempt to encourage Shylock to be merciful to Antonio throughout the play. Portia’s “quality of mercy” speech powerfully defends the idea of mercy. She tells Shylock that pursuing revenge will condemn his soul, only showing mercy can bring him Salvation. In Elizabethan England, seeking revenge went against Christian morals. Shakespeare’s audiences were mainly Christian so they wouldn’t have agreed with Shylock’s vengeful attitude
How aren’t the Christian characters merciful themselves?
Shylock mocks the Christian view of mercy and he accuses the Christian characters of being hypocrites. He points out that Christians purchased slaves and put them to work like “asses “and “dogs “. They buy human flesh and do as they please with it, so Shylock thinks he can too.
Shylock’s accusation is proven right when he’s punished at the end of Antonio’s trial. Portia lectures Shylock and the importance of mercy when Antonio’s life is at risk, but makes no appeal to the Duke when Shylock’s life is in danger. Gratiano also criticises Shylock for his vengeful attitude during the trial. Despite this he wants revenge on Shylock at the end of the trial and says he “must be hanged”
However, the Christian characters genuinely believe that they’re merciful to Shylock. The Duke spares his life to show “ the difference of our spirits” and Portia asks Antonio “What mercy can you render him?”. A modern audience is less likely to think the Christian characters are merciful to Shylock as they wouldn’t view forcing someone to give up their religion as acceptable.
What is Shylock’s punishment at the end of the play?
The harshness of Shylock’s punishments leads the audience to question whether he really deserves them. He’s relentless in seeing revenge but only because he’s received so much abuse in the past. Shylock’s forced conversion isn’t necessarily intended to be so harsh as 16th century Christians believed that Jews went to hell and therefore converting Shylock may have been seen as giving him a second chance at salvation.
Antonio, on the other hand is not punished for his verbal and physical abuse of Shylock. He doesn’t deserve to loose a pound of flesh for his prejudice but the outcome of the trial makes the audience wonder if he should get away with it entirely.
What is the concept of Justice?
Justice is a changing concept in The Merchant of Venice mostly because it is at odds with the Christian values of mercy. Religion is such a pivotal issue in the play as the concept of mercy is held in balance to Justice.All the characters seek justice in a variety of forms. For Portia, it is finding a husband that she can choose out of love, For Antonio he wants recognition of his sacrifices for Bassanio. Shylock’s relationship to justice is the most difficult. He seeks justice through the law because he’s not protected under christian religion
As he refuses to be merciful, because no one has been merciful to him, he ends up suffering to full extent of justice’s cruel blow. The play follows two different sides and for one to triumph one must be defeated. Justice is promised only to one side and with a lack of mercy and critical thinking about the meaning of justice, some of the resolutions of the play ring hollow and unsatisfying.
The Merchant Of Venice is unsatisfying because there is no believable justice. Shylock is removed from the play and the romances are repaired in an unrealistic fashion by Portia and Nerrissa’s forgiveness of their husbands. Antonio is never called to account for his wrongs.
The Merchant Of Venice is a realistic play because there is no justice. In life, things don’t wrap up neatly and if Shakespeare had provided a clean and justice resolution to all of the play’s tension it would be undermining the complexity of the difficult topics in the play
Mercy and Shylock
Characters acknowledge that the law is on Shylock’s side but ask him to show mercy which he refuses to do so. Portia warns Shylock against pursuing the law without regard for mercy, she is promoting what Elizabethan Christians would have seen as a pro-christian anti jewish agenda.
A sixteenth century audience would not expect Shylock to exercise mercy therefore it is up to the Christians to do so. Once Portia has turned the law against Shylock. Portia has the opportunity to give the mercy for which she so beautifully advocates. Instead, she backs Shylock into a corner, stripping him of his bond, his estate and his dignity forcing for him to kneel and beg for mercy. Given that Antonio decides not to seize Shylock’s goods as punishment for conspiring against hum, we might consider Antonio to be merciful. It is not merciful however to leave him half his goods and strip him of his Jewish identity only to take away his profession. Mercy is delivered as selfish and not as sweet as Portia presents it
