The scene begins with the entrance of the different characters – the Duke, the leading noblemen and citizens, the officers of the court, Antonio and his friends and other attendants. They are dressed in formal and dignified attire for the solemn occasion. This grand entourage highlights the importance of court trials and as such justice in the city of Venice.
The obligation to uphold and serve justice is further reinforced later in the scene. The Duke, sympathetic towards his fellow Christian Antonio, can do nothing against the bond and is left to dissuading Shylock from taking revenge, albeit in vain. He asks that Shylock does not claim the pound …show more content…
It is particularly unusual that in a society where the people are separated into higher and lowers classes based on their religion, the right to justice is served to everyone. Especially in the European and American societies today, there are still conflicts and tensions surrounding the disparity between the law enforcement’s treatment of the ‘white Americans’ and the African Americans.
Personally, I believe that everyone deserves justice – regardless of his or her language, religion, race, nationality or background. A criminal deserves an equal amount of justice as others; although it may come in different forms – the right to a fair trial, fair punishment and a right to defend his or her own actions and beliefs. The ‘right’ to justice should not be decided upon by anyone – it is a basic right and should be a governing factor in the court of law.
In Scene 1, the actions and decisions of the characters show that mercy is subjective and is up to the whims and fancies of whoever holds the power of executing