Theme Of Compassion In The Merchant Of Venice

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Amber Stojek “Compassion is the basis of all morality.” By the German Philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer, goes very well with the book The Merchant of Venice. Compassion is feelings empathy, when you care about someone. However, morality knows what is right and wrong. In the book there is a lot of compassion, and lack thereof, as with morality. In the book, there is compassion between Shylock and Antonio. Bassanio takes a bond out from Shylock for Antonio to go see Portia, and try and gain her hand in marriage. However, Shylock gave Antonio three months to pay back to bond, which is 3,000 ducats, or he’ll take a pound of flesh from Antonio. He ends up picking the correct chest, which Portia’s father set up to choose who would marry his daughter. However, he didn’t pay the bond back in time. Antonio got sent to trial. Shylock did not go easy, at first. He was very…show more content…
This happens in the courthouse at Antonio’s trial. Portia outwits Shylock. She finds the loophole in the bond that he granted to Bassanio. In the beginning she is willing to work with him, and have him follow the bond. Then she found the loophole. It stated that if any blood was shed from Antonio that he would lose half of his property to Lorenzo and Jessica. So he decided to take the money, however Portia said no because he wanted the flesh. If he did lose one drop of blood Shylock would have to be converted to a Christian and lose his property. But, he walked away from this trial, with nothing. No money, not even self-dignity. As one can see in The Merchant of Venice there is compassion and lack of compassion. Shylock and Antonio show the compassion in the courthouse, and Shylock and Portia show the lack of compassion in the courthouse as well. They also used morality in this scene. Antonio knew that he had to take the consequences of not paying the bond in time, and Portia knew she had to follow the law in deciding the punishment for
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