Journal 15: No mercy
Portia is pretty awesome in my opinion. I think her role in the trial isn't a question of either or, but both. She offers him mercy but entraps him easily when he refuses to show it. She really gets Shylock going at first though, which is kind of mean. She says, "Are the balance here to weigh the flesh?" And excitedly Shylock replies, "I have them ready." She offers him the mercy- good. He doesn't take it so she proceeds and acts as if he'll get the flesh- not so good, pretty deceiving. But she turns on him finally and traps him in an irreversible hold and lets the court decide the rest- pretty dang heartless, but also pretty dang smart. So I guess there are hints of mercy but I also think Portia knew all along he wouldn't take them and she knew she would have to entrap him. I still think she's smart even if that was a sneaky move.
Moral
I think it's important to note that this isn't real-- seems like a ridiculous point to bring up, but Shakespeare has a point to make with the characters and uses them as his pawns to do so. If he's trying to show how twisted and unfair the law can be, and how it's human kindness we have to count on in the end, then the destruction of Shylock's life is not the endgame- our appreciation for other people's mercy is. Portia's actions have a bigger outcome than just hurting Shylock.
I agree that portia is awesome and manipulative. She's hardcore, clever, and unrelenting in proving her point.
Erin Kay Schulz
The Law Can Be Cruel
I like that you pointed out that sometimes the law isn't really fair, which is kind of funny in a sense because one would think that something set up to keep things more or less in balance is in realty like a ridiculously wavering see-saw. Then you have to bring up the question as to what is considered fair or just? So many questions! I'm getting all worked up and excited just thinking about it!
*Tina
finding the balance
There's a line that fits so well with this from a Billy Bragg song: "This ain't a court of justice, son, this is a court of law." Sometimes the two are mutually exclusive though we tend to think of them as being one in the same. Bradley
Bradley
uh huh...
Portia is awesome. there is no dispute about that. I mean maybe its just because she is just a straight bitch that she first shows mercy then later changes it or maybe because she knows she can control whats going on. The mercy she shows when it turns in her favor works because it shows she holds a power that no one would have expected...
Katie
Power
I agree. The offering of mercy gave her the power to turn and refuse to be merciful when Shylock refused as well. Kind of like, if he won't show any, he won't get any. But she wouldn't have had that power without offering the mercy to begin with. She's a smart lady.
-Renee Ward
Mercy she showed not.
I am not so sure that Portia even really offered mercy to Shylock in the first place. She offered him the chance to show mercy to Antonio by taking the money which I don't think is necessarily showing Shylock mercy. Perhaps she tried to get him to take the money so they wouldn't have to go through all the trial? To really show how ruthless Shylock is about getting his bond paid in flesh, so as to set him up as such the evil person? Or just to set him up so that in the end they wouldn't let him take the money after he refused so many times? Maybe she wasn't as confident about how the trial would play out (I doubt this, but it's an idea.) hoping Shylock would just take the money? She's clever.
Megan Baeth-Brison