Merchant of Venice Essay examples -- Merchant of Venice Essays

Mercy v. Justice Old volition v. New Testament eon the conflict between arbiter and mercy plays a key role in determining the come outcome of The merchandiser of Venice, this conflict is even more important because it provides a setting for the tell apart between the rigid law and rules of the Old Testament and the concepts of mercy and forgiveness as taught by Christ in the New Testament. It is in the climactic audition scene that The Duke, hoping moneylender will excuse Antonios penalty, asks him, How shall grand hope for mercy rendring none? He is referring to expectations of judgment in the afterlife. However, so is shylock, when he counters, What judgment shall I dread doing no wrong? This exchange abruptly presents this conflict between of the Old Testament and the New, in which the former is seen to emphasize strict obedience as mankinds obligation to God man the latter stresses Gods grace and mercy.The laws and rules of the Old Testament insisted on strict justice , An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 2123, 24 also see Leviticus 2419, 20 and Deuteronomy 1921) piece the New Testament calls for mercy, Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 57) said Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. He later added Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth further I arrange unto you, that ye resist non evil but whosoever shall surpass thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 539). Shakespeares version of An eye for and eye is form at the end of Shylocks cracking speech in the trial scene of Act IV, 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. The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. His demand for avenging is made more understandable in this famous speech as he lays open the days of pain and ang er caused by the anti-Semitic discourse and abuse from the likes of Antonio and the rest of Venetian society. But, while he is more a victim than a villain, hes non blameless. What turns Shylock into a ruthless avenger is his lady friends elopement with a Christian and her rejection of the religion of her family. It is this betrayal by his own flesh and blood that renders Shylock seemingly merciless towards ... ...s and forgiving herself. One of the majuscule ironies of this play happens when Shylock calls Portia, "A Daniel come to judgment, yea, a Daniel" Daniel was the Old Testament judge of Susanna, a woman accused of being unchaste by the elders. The written report is pointed because Daniel rules in Susannas favor, thus rescuing her from her fate. After freeing her, he then in turn convicts the elders. Shylocks mistake is that while he is right in calling Portia a Daniel, he fails to recognize that he is the one who represents the elders and Antonio is the rescued Susanna. In the end, Shylock is prevented from cutting a work over of Antonios flesh from very near the merchandisers heart, but in a sense it is the Christians who cut Shylocks heart out of his body without shedding a drop of his blood. While the Christians preach mercy when Antonio is at risk, the Christian court is happy to opt for Old Testament retaliation itself in exacting a punishment which leaves Shylock feeling that he might as well be dead-- Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that, You take my house, when you do take the prop / That doth plunk for my house you take my life / When you do take the means whereby I live. Merchant of Venice Essay examples -- Merchant of Venice Essays Mercy v. Justice Old Testament v. New TestamentWhile the conflict between justice and mercy plays a key role in determining the outcome of The Merchant of Venice, this conflict is even more important because it provides a setting for the contrast between the rigid law and r ules of the Old Testament and the concepts of mercy and forgiveness as taught by Christ in the New Testament. It is in the climactic trial scene that The Duke, hoping Shylock will excuse Antonios penalty, asks him, How shall thou hope for mercy rendring none? He is referring to expectations of judgment in the afterlife. However, so is Shylock, when he counters, What judgment shall I dread doing no wrong? This exchange perfectly presents this conflict between of the Old Testament and the New, in which the former is seen to emphasize strict obedience as mankinds obligation to God while the latter stresses Gods grace and mercy.The laws and rules of the Old Testament insisted on strict justice, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 2123, 24 also see Leviticus 2419, 20 and Deuteronomy 1921) while the New Testament calls for mercy, Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 57) said Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. He later added Ye have heard that it hat h been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 539). Shakespeares version of An eye for and eye is found at the end of Shylocks great speech in the trial scene of Act IV, 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. The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. His demand for vengeance is made more understandable in this famous speech as he lays open the years of pain and anger caused by the anti-Semitic treatment and abuse from the likes of Antonio and the rest of Venetian society. But, while he is more a victim than a villain, hes not blameless. What turns Shylock into a ruthless avenger is his daughters elopement with a Christian and her rejection of the religion of her family. It is this betrayal by his own flesh and blood that renders Shylock seemingly merciless towards ... ...s and forgiving herself. One of the great ironies of this play happens when Shylock calls Portia, "A Daniel come to judgment, yea, a Daniel" Daniel was the Old Testament judge of Susanna, a woman accused of being unchaste by the elders. The story is pointed because Daniel rules in Susannas favor, thus rescuing her from her fate. After freeing her, he then in turn convicts the elders. Shylocks mistake is that while he is right in calling Portia a Daniel, he fails to recognize that he is the one who represents the elders and Antonio is the rescued Susanna. In the end, Shylock is prevented from cutting a pound of Antonios flesh from very near the merchants heart, but in a sense it is the Christians who cut Shylocks heart out of his body without shedding a drop of his blood. While the Christians preach mercy when Antonio is at risk, the Christian court is happy to opt for Old Testam ent vengeance itself in exacting a punishment which leaves Shylock feeling that he might as well be dead-- Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that, You take my house, when you do take the prop / That doth sustain my house you take my life / When you do take the means whereby I live.