Subject: I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond!
From: Matt Kozusko (mkozusko@parallel.park.uga.edu)
Date: Sun Jan 23 2000 - 22:04:36 EST
Aaron Brager wrote:
> Granted. But you're picking at my words, not my point-- that Merchant of
> Venice is about judging people on what they are/believe instead of how
> they act.
Shylock is indeed treated with contempt because he is a Jew. So far
the anti-semitism (or racism, if you like). But he is "judged" based
precisely on how he acts, not on who he is/what he believes. He
scorneth the quality of mercy, and so mercy scorneth him.
Both Shylock's and Portia's cases at the close of act IV,
incidentally, are based on close-readings of contracts. Picking at
words like "pound," "flesh," etc. And of course, the topic of the
thread was 'picking at words' when it started. I do but keep the
peace.
-- Matt Kozusko mkozusko@parallel.park.uga.edu - * Unsubscribing? Mail majordomo@roughdraft.org with the message * UNSUBSCRIBE BANANAFISH
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