Mercy and Justice

We hear a lot about Mercy in this play. It is held up as an ideal, especially in Portia's famous courtroom speech:

Shylock on the other hand is determined to get revenge on Antonio. Even when offered money his hatred and need for revenge are paramount.

We see here two differing ideas about the relationship between mercy and justice. In Elizabethan times Portia would have been seen as representing the Christian idea of mercy. The New Testament advocates that Christians should "turn the other cheek" rather than exact revenge from the the person who has wronged them. Shylock's view of justice is the complete opposite: it is "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" - which interestingly is an idea of justice which can be derived from the Old Testament .

Shylock also believes that Christians are hypocritical about their mercy - that in reality they are as keen on revenge as he is: "If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge!" (Do you agree with Shylock's argument? Shylock has clearly had experience of a Christian 'justice' which discriminates against Jews.)

The end of the play could be interpreted as underlining Shylock's point. Portia makes a very persuasive speech about mercy, yet when it come to deal out justice, she is less generous than her words. She emphasises that Shylock shall have "all justice" - and catches him out as she knows the law better than he does. Portia refuses to let Shylock back out of the deal, saying "He shall have merely justice and his bond." Just as Shylock missed his chance to be merciful, so Portia comes back with the full weight of the laws against him and shows no mercy. Having begged Shylock to show mercy to Antonio, she seems less than merciful to him. So - to what extent does Portia actually demonstrate justice and mercy?

Here are some other questions to ask yourself about Justice and Mercy in the play:

• To what extent do the Duke and Antonio show justice and mercy to Shylock at the end of the trial? The law states that Shylock can be put to death for plotting against a Venetian and his wealth confiscated. The Duke allows him his life, and Antonio allows him to keep his half of his wealth - but Antonio forces him to become a Christian and makes him bequeath his fortune to Jessica and Lorenzo.
• Do you think that it is just that a Christian court should try a Jew?
• The Duke, officially in charge of trying the case, is obviously on Antonio's side: at the start of the trial he sympathises with Antonio, saying that Shylock is "an inhuman wretch, / Incapable of pity, void and empty / From any dram of mercy." Given that attitude, is it ever likely that Shylock will get a fair hearing?
• You could also consider justice and mercy in a broader sense. For example, you could ask yourself whether it was just that Portia's father prevented her from marrying someone of her choice, or whether Portia and Nerissa were fair to trick Bassanio and Gratiano with the rings.

Scales of Justice