Responses to Injustice

Portia and Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice disagree on how society should respond to injustice.  Shylock, quite frankly, has been the victim of injustice more than Portia ever has.  As a result, Shylock's heart has hardened.  He has realized that society as a whole, given that society mostly consists of Christians, causes cruelty.  More specifically, society responds to injustice with revenge: "If a Jew wrongs a Christian, what kindness does he return?  Revenge" (III.i.56-57).  Portia, on the other hand, feels that injustice should be responded to with mercy since "it blesseth him that gives and him that takes" (IV.i.185).  Everyone benefits when mercy is society's response to injustice.  The real question is, however, does everyone deserve mercy?  That would involve every single truly evil person receiving the benefit of the doubt and being treated well.  This is where religion comes into play.  Certain religious aspects might lead each individual person into believing something different about this.  Some religious beliefs cause people to strive for harsh punishments, and some for mercy and forgiveness.