Mercy Rather Than Blind Justice

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There is a fine line between mercy and blind justice that every person will someday come to pass. There are many factors that can influence you to tip the balance either way. A few can be vengeance, religion, consequence vs. circumstance and moral values. We see many of these in The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare. We can see the many different factors applied between the characters Shylock, Bassanio and Antonio. It can sometimes be difficult in life to be empathetic while dealing with justice, the key is to finding a balance between the two and learning to master it.
Religions around the world have many different laws and rituals but one thing that remains mutual to the majority of them is the virtue of mercy. One way or another it is incorporated and enforced. We see this clearly during the trial in The Merchant of Venice when Antonio is being persecuted and Bassanio and the Duke plead with Shylock to show mercy towards Antonio. Shylock, however, already had his eyes set on watching Antonio suffer and refuses to show even the slightest mercy. When the tables are turned Bassanio’s definition of mercy changed drastically. Suddenly merciful was stripping a person of their money, property, pride and identity. When the Duke ruled that Shylock would have all that taken away from him, it revealed the idea that mercy, when given to a Christian, is different than the mercy that is offered to a Jew.
We learn through the play how hardship can harden an individual’s soul. The character we see this in is Shylock. We feel mixed emotions for him, from sympathy for the cruel treatment he endures to disgust at his blood lust. In the play Shylock strikes a deal with Antonio, that if he is not repaid his three thousand ducats in three months he will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s flesh. When Antonio does not appear with the money Shylock takes the case to court. He

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