FREE ESSAY ON THE CONCEPTS OF PEACE AND JUSTICE IN SHAKESPEARE'S MERCHANT OF VENICE

THE CONCEPTS OF PEACE AND JUSTICE IN SHAKESPEARE'S MERCHANT OF VENICE

The Concepts of Peace and Justice in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice
"If you want peace, work for justice." Unknown
In Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, Portia's defense of Antonio is considered a
wonderful, noble deed. She is not considered the villain (that distinction falls to
Shylock), but her deed, which is considered right, proper, and good by her fellow
Venetians, is actually more reflective of the naughty world than the brightly lit
candle.
Shylock is a man that has been mocked, spat at, and reviled by Antonio and his coterie.
When he is approached by Bassanio for the money, he sees his opportunity to take revenge
upon Antonio, but almost as a representative of the society at large and not Antonio as
an individual. Small wonder that he takes his chance; revenge is a very powerful human
emotion. Antonio, being dependent upon his ships at sea, had to be fully cognizant of the
risks involved with each shipment and therefore fully aware of the fact that he might not
be able to pay Shylock back. He signed his name in agreement with the terms laid down by
Shylock, and that granted Shylock the right to take a pound of his flesh if he should
default on his loan. When he defaults, he just expects Shylock to forget the agreement
and forgive the loan, which of course Shylock cannot do, as he himself is not in good
economic conditions. It was ridiculous for Antonio to sign the agreement in the first
place, much less to assume that Shylock would not hold him to it. 
Therefore, when Portia defends Antonio, she takes the part of someone who is in the
wrong. Since Shylock is not a prominent Venitian citizen, and the terms of the agreement
quite unrealistic, he is on shaky ground, even though his position is logically correct.
However, when she wins, it is not merely a victory for her and Antonio, it is also a
bitter defeat for Shylock. Deprived not only of the money due to him from Antonio, his
own money is taken away and split between Antonio and the state, and he is almost
deprived of his life. All this as a punishment for seeking what was legally and
rightfully his. Portia did, of course, save her friend, but she also completely destroyed
the life (figuratively and almost literally) of someone else. 
Portia may have thought that, in defending Antonio's life, she did him the ultimate
favor. However, her actions have other consequences. There was a reason for Shylock's
disgust and hatred towards Antonio and his friends, and this surely cemented those
feelings not only in his mind but in the minds of all his circle. Her actions may have
had beneficial repercussions for Antonio, but they did not contribute to justice and
social relations within Venice. Her deed was on a small scale good, but seen in a larger
context only contributed to the hatred and strife already present within the society.