The quality of mercy (Shakespeare quote)

"The quality of mercy" refers to a quote by Portia in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice; it occurs during Act IV, Scene 1, set in a Venetian Court of Justice.^[1] It is the speech in which Portia begs Shylock for mercy. Some sources set apart the first four lines of the speech or refer only to the first four lines as the subject of "The quality of mercy".^[2][3] Other sources refer to a longer portion of the speech but not the full 22 lines.^[4]

Quote

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:

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown;

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;

But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's

When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,

That, in the course of justice, none of us

Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render

The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much

To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice

Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

— The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1

Critical commentary

The speech is regarded as one of the great speeches in Shakespeare and is made by a cross-dressing Portia, disguised as young lawyer Balthazar, who speaks with heightened eloquence to beg Shylock for mercy after traveling from the fictional town of Belmont to Venice.^[5]

Mercy and forgiveness are enduring themes that pervade Shakespeare's works.^[6][4] The quote is an example of the esteem Shakespeare held for those who showed mercy as expressed in his poetry. Shakespeare presented mercy as a quality most valuable to the most powerful, strongest and highest people in society.^[7]

Notes

1. "The Merchant of Venice: SCENE I. Venice. A court of justice.". MIT.edu. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
2. Roberts, David (2011). "The Quality of Mercy". Constable & Robinson. ISBN 9781780334264.
3. Shakespeare, William (2011). "A New Variorum Edition of Shakespeare: The merchant of Venice. 1888". Nabu Press. ISBN 9781178830064.
4. Shakespeare, William (2010). "The Wisdom of William Shakespeare". Philosophical Library/Open Road. ISBN 9781453202708.
5. Shakespeare, William (2010). Bate, Jonathan and Eric Rasmussen, ed. "The Merchant of Venice". Modern Library. pp. 150–151. ISBN 978-1-58836-874-4.
6. Rosenbaum, Ron (2006). "The Shakespeare Wars: Clashing Scholars, Public Fiascoes, Palace Coups The Shakespeare Wars". Random House. ISBN 0375503390.
7. Meron, Theodor (1998). "Bloody Constraint: War and Chivalry in Shakespeare". Oxford University Press. p. 133. ISBN 0195123832.