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Portia invokes the Venetian law which states that Shylock, as a foreigner, is not allowed to seek the life of a Venetian citizen. This law is crucial in determining the outcome of the trial, as it prevents Shylock from carrying out his bond with Antonio, which entitles him to a pound of flesh. By invoking this law, Portia effectively saves Antonio from the harsh penalty that Shylock seeks to impose.
What else can I help you with?
What effect does portia have on shylock?
Portia, disguised as a lawyer in "The Merchant of Venice," significantly impacts Shylock by challenging his rigid adherence to the law and his desire for revenge. She cleverly uses legal arguments to turn the tables on him, emphasizing mercy over justice and exposing the moral implications of his actions. Ultimately, her intervention leads to his downfall, as he is forced to relent and accept a fate far from his original intentions. This confrontation reveals Shylock's vulnerability and complicates his character, portraying him as both a victim and a villain.
What would have been the pjnishment for shylock if you were the judge?
Heck, if I'd have been the judge, I wouldn't have punished him at all. I would have let him take his pound of flesh from Antonio and told off Portia for sticking to the letter of the law and not its spirit.
What is the conflect of the play Merchant of Venice?
The conflict is between Antonio and Shylock but Shylock is hated by everyone in Venice because he was a Jew, so that's Bassanio, Portia and all the other people in the play
How many times does portia ask shylock to show mercy?
Actually, Shylock was cheated out of a contract (valid, in those days) by a clever ploy from Portia. Shylock was perfectly entitled to a pound of flesh from Antonio, as Antonio defaulted in his contractual commitment. A moralistic spin placed on the supposed motives of Shylock got the better of the hapless money lender. The fact that he was let off easily by the court for his so-called motives of racial hatred and avarice should not blind the readers of a perfectly legitimate argument for a judicial review as viewed from Shylock's perspective. Thus, the quality of mercy shown by the court certainly suffers from the stigma of being unjustly 'strained'. What is more, not only is Shylock deprived of the money he lent to Antonio, and which he should be entitled to get back, but Portia raises this further argument: "It is enacted in the laws of Venice, if it be proved against an alien that by direct or indirect attempts he seek the life of any citizen" all of his propery becomes forfeit, half to the supposed "victim" and half to the state, and he should be sentenced to death. Here is hypocrisy indeed! If Shylock asks the court to grant that by law Antonio should be executed, no matter how right he is, he commits a crime. Portia, on the other hand, is free to threaten Shylock with execution with impunity. Not only does she threaten his death, but also threatens to take his money and thereby the only way in which he can legally make his living. As Shylock says, "you take my house when you take the prop that supports my house." To give the Duke credit, he does not hesitate to dismiss the suggestion that Shylock should be executed, even over the protests of the merciless and rabid anti-Semite Gratiano, although he cannot help but smugly congratulate himself for it. The smidgen of mercy which the Duke has does not extend to missing the opportunity to grab half of Shylock's property. Antonio now holds the power of life and death over Shylock, since without any money he will die of starvation. The mercy he shows is to turn half of his remaining money ( a quarter of what he started with ) over to Shylock's worthless spendthrift son-in-law Lorenzo, who has already stolen and wasted a good portion of Shylock's funds, and finally to insist that Shylock give up his religion and his identity as a Jew. So, the "mercy" that is shown to Shylock is that he is not actually killed for having the gall to attempt to enforce his rights in the court of Venice, but instead only loses three-quarters of his property, his right to observe his own religion, and his cultural identity. As Shylock says, "Nay, take my life and all"
What is a 'Daniel' in The Merchant of Venice?
Daniel in the Book of Daniel in the Bible, is a person who is expert at interpreting dreams and prophetic utterances. Shylock describes Portia as a Daniel because she is offering an interpretation of the law which suits him, so he compares her interpretation to Daniel's. When her interpretation goes against him, however, it is Gratiano who calls her a Daniel.
What is the meaning of the speech Portia gives on mercy?
In Portia's speech she admits that Shylock has a good case in Law against her client Antonio but asks Shylock to forgive Antonio, saying that mercy is the most noble thing and that to be merciful is the most noble and Godlike thing he could do.
What did the Duke do to help Shylock?
Not a dang thing. He went out of his way not only to thwart Shylock's revenge, but to take his money and give it to his useless son-in-law, and finally to ensure that Shylock's soul was damned, all on the basis that because Shylock was Jewish he wasn't entitled to the benefit of the law like the Christians were. The Duke didn't do this earlier because he was too dim to figure it out, until Portia told him what to do.
What is a summary of Merchant of Venice?
Bassanio wants to court the wealthy Portia but needs money. He gets his friend Antonio to borrow the money for him from the Jewish moneylender Shylock. Shylock hates Antonio because he is an Anti-Semite and adds a clause in the contract that says that if Antonio doesn't pay on time, Shylock can take a pound of flesh from anywhere on Antonio's body. Antonio agrees to this, thinking it is a joke. Bassanio goes to Portia's house and passes the test Portia's father has set for all suitors, and marries her. But then news comes that Antonio has had a business crisis and cannot pay Shylock. Shylock takes Antonio to court. Portia disguises herself as a lawyer and advises the Duke, who is the judge, that Shylock has a good case, just to see if he will go through with it and kill Antonio. When it is apparent that Shylock really means it, Portia raises the point that the contract does not allow Shylock to shed blood, and through a number of other pieces of legal trickery, deprives Shylock of all his money and forces him to change religion. For this service, she demands that Bassanio give her for her fee his wedding ring, which he does, only to get a talking-to from his wife when he gets home.
What would have been the pjnishment for shylock if you were the judge?
Heck, if I'd have been the judge, I wouldn't have punished him at all. I would have let him take his pound of flesh from Antonio and told off Portia for sticking to the letter of the law and not its spirit.
How the conflict resolved in The Merchant of Venice?
In "The Merchant of Venice," the conflict is resolved through a clever legal maneuver orchestrated by Portia. She disguises herself as a male lawyer and argues that Shylock is entitled to his pound of flesh but without shedding any blood, as doing so would violate Venetian law. This effectively nullifies Shylock's claim and secures a victory for Antonio and his friends. Additionally, Shylock is punished for attempting to take the life of a Venetian citizen.
What is the conflect of the play Merchant of Venice?
The conflict is between Antonio and Shylock but Shylock is hated by everyone in Venice because he was a Jew, so that's Bassanio, Portia and all the other people in the play
How many times does portia ask shylock to show mercy?
Actually, Shylock was cheated out of a contract (valid, in those days) by a clever ploy from Portia. Shylock was perfectly entitled to a pound of flesh from Antonio, as Antonio defaulted in his contractual commitment. A moralistic spin placed on the supposed motives of Shylock got the better of the hapless money lender. The fact that he was let off easily by the court for his so-called motives of racial hatred and avarice should not blind the readers of a perfectly legitimate argument for a judicial review as viewed from Shylock's perspective. Thus, the quality of mercy shown by the court certainly suffers from the stigma of being unjustly 'strained'. What is more, not only is Shylock deprived of the money he lent to Antonio, and which he should be entitled to get back, but Portia raises this further argument: "It is enacted in the laws of Venice, if it be proved against an alien that by direct or indirect attempts he seek the life of any citizen" all of his propery becomes forfeit, half to the supposed "victim" and half to the state, and he should be sentenced to death. Here is hypocrisy indeed! If Shylock asks the court to grant that by law Antonio should be executed, no matter how right he is, he commits a crime. Portia, on the other hand, is free to threaten Shylock with execution with impunity. Not only does she threaten his death, but also threatens to take his money and thereby the only way in which he can legally make his living. As Shylock says, "you take my house when you take the prop that supports my house." To give the Duke credit, he does not hesitate to dismiss the suggestion that Shylock should be executed, even over the protests of the merciless and rabid anti-Semite Gratiano, although he cannot help but smugly congratulate himself for it. The smidgen of mercy which the Duke has does not extend to missing the opportunity to grab half of Shylock's property. Antonio now holds the power of life and death over Shylock, since without any money he will die of starvation. The mercy he shows is to turn half of his remaining money ( a quarter of what he started with ) over to Shylock's worthless spendthrift son-in-law Lorenzo, who has already stolen and wasted a good portion of Shylock's funds, and finally to insist that Shylock give up his religion and his identity as a Jew. So, the "mercy" that is shown to Shylock is that he is not actually killed for having the gall to attempt to enforce his rights in the court of Venice, but instead only loses three-quarters of his property, his right to observe his own religion, and his cultural identity. As Shylock says, "Nay, take my life and all"
What is a 'Daniel' in The Merchant of Venice?
Daniel in the Book of Daniel in the Bible, is a person who is expert at interpreting dreams and prophetic utterances. Shylock describes Portia as a Daniel because she is offering an interpretation of the law which suits him, so he compares her interpretation to Daniel's. When her interpretation goes against him, however, it is Gratiano who calls her a Daniel.
What is the religion of Shylock in Merchant of Venice?
He was Jewish. As required by Venetian law, he was conspicuously so.
What is the climax of the play Merchant of Venice?
The climax of the play the Merchant of Venice, is in Act IV Scene I, When the court is deciding if Shylock is legally entitled to the bond of a pound of Antonio's flesh.
What is the effect of Portia's delayed entrance into the trial scene Merchant of Venice?
The scene builds up an expectation that Shylock has every right in law to collect on his contract and kill Antonio. The Duke cannot find any loophole in the contract. However, he is going to rely on the advice of the lawyer Balthazar, who is Portia. The audience, who are inevitably hoping that Antonio has some way out, hope that Balthazar will pronounce that the contract is illegal (as indeed any modern court would do). But these hopes are dashed because Balthazar says that the contract is in fact legal and everyone (except Shylock of course) is once again plunged into despair. The delayed arrival of Portia thus creates a rollercoaster of feelings: despair, then hope, then despair again and then, at the last possible minute, a reprieve.
How did portia make shylock realize that mercy is superior to justice?
I'm not sure that this message came through very clearly to Shylock, since he sees little of either. Shylock is punished for seeking relief in the courts, relief to which he is, as Portia admits, entirely entitled under the terms of his contract. We might think that it is just that he cannot collect on his contract. We might think that it is just that, having elected to collect the penalty, he is no longer entitled to recovery of his principal. But the law which is enforced on him punishes him for seeking relief in the courts (which is what you'd think the courts are for), and not just because he is an unsuccessful litigant, but specifically because he is a Jewish litigant. Nor is this a monetary penalty like an award of costs, but punishment by death. The "mercy" shown by the court is to give him the alternative of taking away his means of living and forbidding him to practise his religion, which might put his soul in jeopardy. It would hardly be surprising if Shylock found this to be neither just or merciful.
