Merchant of Venice and Mercy

I went to see the Merchant of Venice tonight.  It was my first time ever seeing the play.  It was fantastic-- I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The actors did a fantastic job-- they were having a lot of fun.

I was really struck by the discussions of mercy throughout the play, esp. in the court scene.  Shylock refuses to give Antonio mercy; then, Shylock is refused mercy.  The plea for mercy:
The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless’d;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

Portia is an amazing character.  She's clever, wise and human.  Shakespeare had such a strong, important female character in the Elizabethan era.  Modern Hollywood doesn't have as strong female characters.

There's a theme of being cautious and prudent and not accepting things and people at face value.  Human nature is on display.

"If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men’s cottages princes’ palaces." Portia

"The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek;
A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!" Antonio

Be wary:

"I like not fair terms and a villain's mind." Bassanio

Don't be a fool.  Don't be shallow:

"All that glisters is not gold,
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold,
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms infold."  Prince of Morocco (in the letter)

Hard words:

"I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we shall resemble you in that. 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." Shylock

Next time you get a chance, go to see a play!