Shakespeare ‘I Have Always Found That Mercy Bears Richer Fruits Than Strict Justice’

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‘I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice’ Abraham Lincoln’s quote ‘I have always found mercy bears richer fruits then strict justice’ during his speech in Washington D.C in 1865, is relevant and relates to both the play Antigone by Sophocles and Shawshank Redemption by Frank Darabont. In conjunction to one another, both texts support justice in similar styles even though they are very different texts and from different times in history. Using the same process of displaying the portrayal of justice, linking back to the same themes and morals from both the texts. Characters in both of the texts, Shawshank Redemption and Antigone, display strict justice though the use of capital punishments, harsh rules and long term sentences where they take out actions against mercy, compassion or giving someone a second chance. Supporting Lincoln’s view of justice, mercy has a better results and beneficial from society then strict justice. Antigone, an Ancient Greek play about the different views of the rights of humans where there are two conflicting sights on law and justice, Creon's insistence on upholding human law and Antigone's determination to uphold divine law. Creon makes the mistake of putting his personal views over and above the divine laws and fails in the eyes of the Gods, when it comes to law he has no mercy. He believes that the most effective approach to justice is through harsh unforgiving laws and swift punishments such as executions. Creon’s beliefs of male superiority and elitism over all women, makes him the judge of right and wrong; good and evil, metaphysical justice and strict justice due to his idea of divine right to rule. An example of his ideology represented in this quote, “never be rated inferior to a women, never” the repetition of the word never is emphasized at the start and the end of the sentence to magnify
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