From the point where Shylock enters the courtroom everyone opposing him is appealing for mercy for Antonio and this is what the scene demonstrates, a need for mercy. Portia says shortly after she has entered the scene 'Then the Jew must be merciful' she is not saying that this is what the law says he must be, but that he should do this because it is the only thing he can do morally. The mercy theme runs all the way through the scene and many opportunities were offered by the Duke, Bassanio and Portia for Shylock to take the moral course of action, but he constantly refuses saying he should get what he deserves not by moral justice but by the law.

Shylock does have the right to the forfeit of his bond and it is Antonio's fault that he is

This demonstrates a prejudice towards him as a Jew and so none of his characters like him because of his religion and one of the consequences of the course of action he has chosen is that he is forced to become Christian.

This results in an ironical justice. Portia after Shylock has chosen his course of action informs him of the consequences, she says 'If thou dost shed one drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods are by the laws of Venice confiscate unto the state of Venice'. Antonio receives his moral justice and Shylock is shown little mercy by the letter of the law that he demanded for himself. As Shylock refused to show mercy to Antonio when he had power over him, he is shown the same treatment and apparantly gets what he deserved as he is shown no mercy. Shylock tries to go back and get the money he earlier refused to take but Portia stops him by saying 'The Jew shall have all justice, he shall have nothing but the penalty.' It is shown to the reader that Shylock gets what is due as the play is written in favour of Christianity, and so all sympathy is lost for Shylock. This is because of the way he is taking his anger out on Antonio, because of his daughter stealing his money and running away. Also he doesn't care that his daughter has run away only that she has st

Some common words found in the essay are:
Portia Shylock, Venice' Antonio, Shylock Antonio, Shylock Antonio's, Bassanio Christian, Merchant Venice, course action, forfeit bond, , portia shylock, letter law, Jew Shylock, scene shylock, moral justice, pound flesh, stolen money, knowledge law, moral path,
Approximate Word count = 868
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)