There is a method to madness which is Shakespearean comedy. Every comedy has a plan and “The Merchant of Venice” is no exception. This highly social dilemma focuses on the search for love and money and ends with the joyful acquisition of this. But while beautiful people pursue beautiful things, something dark is going on underneath and is brought to light by the Shakespearean spirit. The sources of human identity are probed as a Venetian moneylender transforms into the monster he is forced to become and a beautiful heiress turns mercy and justice into a wicked deception. Portia's plea for mercy in the fourth act is the most poetic and moving speech in this entire play, and it is in relation to this speech that the disturbing nuances of "The Merchant of Venice" become most apparent. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay A close reading of Portia's Mercy Speech (IV, i, 190-212) reveals a tone and rhetoric entirely different from everything else in this play. "The quality of mercy is not strained./It falls like the gentle rain from heaven/On the place beneath. It is twice blessed:/It blesses the giver and the taker."Portia speaks with tones of whimsical romance that has in the past been reserved solely for wooing. She tries to convince Shylock that mercy is not something that can be imposed by the court, but that it is something more beautiful and nourishing than anything conceived on earth. Portia also wants Shylock to know that mercy in this matter will be best for everyone – a subtle hint that she intends to get what she wants. shows the force of temporal power,/ The attribute of awe and majesty/ Where the terror and fear of kings sit;/ But mercy above this grip of the scepter. "Portia clearly draws a comparison between Shylock and the king of men he will become if he shows mercy. She explains that those who are powerful will show mercy, implying that if he does not, he is weak. Portia insinuates that Shylock is the leader in this situation and can use his advantage to impress and frighten everyone at court, but that his compassion must trump this desire for domination "He sits in the hearts of the. kings;/ It is an attribute of God himself;/ And earthly power then shows itself similar to that of God/ When mercy seasons justice/ Therefore, Jew,/ Although justice is your plea , consider this:/ So that in the course of justice no one is useful/ Sees salvation. » Portia He continues by showing that mercy is a quality of God that can be transmitted by the kings of men. Mercy is the only means by which men can emit a power closest to that of God, especially when applied to the justice sought by man. Christian doctrine preaches that because Adam and Eve fell into sin, only God's mercy can bring them salvation. Portia implores Shylock that in his personal quest for justice, no one will find salvation and that it would be better if everyone involved in this quest were to extend mercy. “We pray for mercy,/And this same prayer teaches us all to render/The acts of mercy.” In the prayer of the Our Father, we must ask God to forgive us “as we forgive those who have offended us "Portia tells Shylock that if he has already wished for mercy, he is morally obliged to grant it in turn / A sentence must be pronounced against him.merchant there. "Portia has tried to temper Shylock's plea for justice with mercy, but if he insists, the court will have no choice but to carry out the sentence. In summary, Portia is making a plea to Shylock for obtain mercy. She speaks of mercy in romantic, heavenly terms by comparing those who grant mercy to kings. She views God as the source of mercy and states that the closest we can imitate God's power is through us. grant mercy ourselves. She insists that every human being has an obligation to grant mercy if he or she wishes to receive the same treatment. Mercy is the best and only morally honest choice, but if Shylock l. 'I don't know, she will follow through with her sentence. This whole speech is a ridiculous comedy. The attitude and message of this monologue are contrary to the majority of this drama and are designed as a foil to accentuate the situation. circle of cruelty that is “The Merchant of Venice”. Circles are a dominant theme in this piece. Shylock earns money and then lends it. Antonio sends his money hoping that it will come back to him well accompanied. Bassanio draws an analogy between his expenses at court and his past experiences with arrows where "when I had lost one arrow,/ I shot at its companion of the same flight/ To find the other" (I,i,147 -151). Bassanio also wishes to send money in the hopes that it will earn him more in the form of Portia. There are even physical circles in the room; the rings given to Bassanio and Gratiano. These rings travel a circular path, as they are given, given again, and eventually find their way back to whence they came. The play's many circles parallel the general circle that dominates the plot: that of cruelty. The Christian Antonio viciously tortures and abuses the local Jew until Shylock becomes so mad with hatred that he seeks violent revenge. The cruelty returns to the Christians when Shylock cunningly tricks Antonio into signing his life into the hands of the merchant, then Shylock demands the forfeiture of his bond. Portia's speech of mercy at the trial is the climax of the play as it highlights what should be done in the face of all the cruelty that has been carried out. The audience expects that the cycle of cruelty will finally be broken, and that something charitable and decent can actually be offered to the antagonist. This is not the case. In the context of the entire play, Portia's speech of mercy is hilarious in that it is quite comical to think that any creature in this work is actually capable of doing the moral and merciful thing. The characters all have the opportunity to choose the human path and each of them abandons it. Portia begins her speech with a romantic notion of delights falling from the sky. Its quixotic tone serves to emphasize the utter lack of romance in the play. In Venice, every relationship seems golden, not of love, but of money. Bassanio seeks out Portia because she is incredibly rich and even Lorenzo's pockets benefit from his elopement with Jessica. These characters know nothing about romance: a husband is chosen from a coffin, cruel tricks are played on newly married husbands, and the bride and groom are ready to give their wedding rings to strangers. There are still other examples of how Portia's speech directly contrasts with how the characters actually act. Portia speaks of the kingship of mercy by pointing out the tricks used throughout the play by Shylock and by Portia herself to obtain what is in their best interest. At the end of her speech of mercy, Portia.