The Merchant of Venice Act 4 – “The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the rain from heaven upon the place beneath…”

The Merchant of Venice Act 4 – “The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the rain from heaven upon the place beneath…”

Wow! I had forgotten how amazing the long sustained court scene of Act 4 Scene 1 of “The Merchant of Venice’ is. Two things probably need to be remembered before evaluating and relaying this scene. Firstly, Antonio starts the play in a strange melancholia which he tries to relate to his friends and this melancholy dominates the almost resigned attitude he has to his fate and his seemingly inevitable death. Secondly, this play would have been considered a romantic comedy for Shakespeare’s audience. Shylock is the antagonist of the play, a villain painted in broad strokes sometimes in the style of commedia dell’ arte sometimes in strokes which resonate of melodrama. The comedy of the play must also be remembered when looking at the way that Portia conducts and wins her defence. She is shown as advocate, jury and judge and even Shakespeare’s audience knew this is not how trials and judicial judgments were conducted. This comic play needs, from a narrative point of view, a reversal of fortunes and the fact that this happens in the most dramatic of fashions whereby a knife is wielded and a man almost put to death, creates a great tension that only a great catharsis can relieve.

We return in Act 4 to Venice, where the Duke of Venice presides over a court to decide the fate of Antonio. The Duke addresses Shylock and expresses his belief that Shylock is only trying to frighten Antonio and that he hopes and believes that Shylock will withdraw his demands of his bond of a pound of flesh at the last minute. Shylock is insistent about the court not denying him his legal right, offering no real explanation about the reasons except to state:

“… I give no reason, nor I will not,

More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing

I bear Antonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him.”

We then see the arrival of Bassanio who offers Shylock double the amount of the original loan but Shylock is immovable in wanting his payment of a pound of flesh. The Duke then announces that he has sent a message to a learned gentlsays that he has sent messages to the learned Doctor of Law in Padua to help decide the matter. As Shylock sharpens his knife, Nerissa enters dressed as a messenger and soon after Portia eneters

Doctor Bellario, asking him to come and decide on the matter. News comes that a messenger has arrived from Bellario, and Salarino runs off to fetch him. Meanwhile, Bassanio tries, without much success, to cheer up the despairing Antonio. Nerissa enters, disguised as a lawyer’s clerk giving the Duke a letter of introduction from Dr. Bellario which states:

“Your grace shall understand that at the receipt of

your letter I am very sick: but in the instant that

your messenger came, in loving visitation was with

me a young doctor of Rome; his name is Balthasar. I

acquainted him with the cause in controversy between

the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er

many books together: he is furnished with my

opinion…”

And so Portia disguised as Balthasar enters the court. Initially, Portia as Balthasar starts simply enough and asks Antonio whether he admits to owing the money and then she concludes that that Shylock should be merciful. When Shylock asks on what compulsion he must be merciful, Portia responds with perhaps the most famous speech of the play in which she states that humans are most Godly and divine when they practice mercy:

“The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes…”

However, she still concludes that the law is on Shylock’s side. Portia then ascertains that asks Antonio through Basanio is able to pay twice the original sum and suggests that Shylock take this. Then Bassanio pleads that Antonio be let off but Portia insists that the law should not be broken. Shylock praises the wisdom, reverence and nobility of this “excellent young man”. Portia declares that the contract is binding and asks Antonio to bare his bosom ready for judgment.

As Antonio says a final goodbye to Bassanio and Gratiano say that they would even give up their lives for Antonio despite being newly married. Shylock is ready for the first cut when Portia points out that the bond states only that he can take a ponud of flesh but does not state that Shylock can take anything else and that Shylock cannot take even one drop of blood. But then Portia asks Shylock to:

“Tarry a little; there is something else.

This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;

The words expressly are 'a pound of flesh:'

Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;

But, in the cutting it, 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.”

Shylock withdraws his knife and offers to accept three times the original sum, but Portia insists that Shylock can only have his pound of flesh or he gets nothing. When Shylock wishes to withdraw, Portia stops him again: “Tarry, Jew:

The law hath yet another hold on you.

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,

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive

Shall seize one half his goods; the other half

Comes to the privy coffer of the state;

And the offender's life lies in the mercy

Of the duke only…”

Ironically, the Duke of Venice shows mercy on Shylock and doesn’t take his life but only a fine and Antonio says he will return what he will get of Shylock’s estate if Shylock converts to Chrisainity and gives all his goods upon his death to his daughter Jessica and her new Christian husband Lorenzo. Shylock leaves in shock.

When Portia goes to leave, the Duke asks Antonio to reward the young lawyer. She refuses and even her husband Bassanio thanks her but does not recognize Portia and is adamant that the ‘young lawyer’ take some token by him. Portia takes Bassanio’s gloves and then asks for his ring (the one she gave him and which he promised he would never give up). Bassanio initially refuses but after Antonio insists that Bassanio should value friendship more than his wife’s love, he gives in and gives Gratiano the ring to give to Portia.

Portia and Nerissa are wrapping up business and signing of documents. Then Gratiano arrives and gives Bassanio’s ring to Portia. Portia is surprised and when Portia tells Nerissa to go with Bassino to Shylock’s house, Nerissa reveals that she will see if Gratiano also will easily give up his ring. The play heads into the final act with most of the drama resolved and a good set of romantic comic threads to be tied up.