Portfolio

Introduction

The theme of justice was strong in each of the selections I chose for my portfolio. But more interesting to me than justice was the idea of how mercy fits in with the concept of justiceor, as Shakespeare puts it, how mercy seasons justice. This tension between justice and mercy became the focus for me: it was foremost in my mind because this tension can still be felt in our own day and age. We lived through cancel culture and the Me Too moment, and still there is this sense of tension when it comes to justice. This theme resonates with me and so I selected these writings as a way to highlight that theme. Each of the three submissionsan analysis of The Furies, a reflection on Aeschylus The Eumenides, and a critique of Shylock in The Merchant of Veniceaddresses justice in a different way. Yet, each also does a good job of examining the somewhat elusive and mysterious role that mercy plays in the overall idea of justice.

Another interesting thread among these assignments is the idea of how ancient, divine, or scripturally inspired justice differs from human interpretations of justice. Each selection looks at least in part at how justice is administered, by whom, and with what goal in mind. In The Furies, for instance, justice is depicted as something rigid and retributive; it is used to restore balancewhich is an idea that is logical and yet also unsettling. The Furies embody the concept of vengeance-based justice that exists outside the influence of mercy. This same idea appears in The Eumenides, but with a shift. There, Aeschylus introduces the tension between divine justice and human justice, as symbolized by the shift from the Furies vengeance to a divinely sanctioned trial-based judgment. This shift points to a more rational and formalized conception of justice; yet, the Furies presence shows that retributive justice is not easily dismissed. Lastly, Shylocks version of justice in The Merchant of Venice reflects a similarly rigid and retributive justice, but it also serves as an opportunity to explore Scriptural justice, and it allows for questions about mercy and compassion. Shylocks version of justice is arguably personal, even obsessive, and devoid of mercywhich makes it wholly distinct from the actions of Old Testament heroes, who often show mercy in a kind of foreshadowing of Christ.

These writings were selected because they challenged me to think about the nature of justice in human and divine terms. I received strong feedback on each of them, with my analysis of The Furies being especially well-received for its thoughtful consideration of moral balance. The reflection on The Eumenides allowed me to explore...

Overall, these writings show growth in my understanding of justice and mercy and how these two go together. They also show how my personal beliefs have influenced my interpretation of these texts. Through these writings, I have come to see justice as a force that demands resolution, but one that is often made whole only when seasoned with mercy.

Assignment : Analysis of The Furies

My first submission in my portfolio is an analysis of The...

…one, and I was drawn to the tension between Shylocks inflexible, literal interpretation of justice and the mercy called for by the Christian characters in the play. I juxtaposed Shylock with Old Testament figures like Abraham, Joseph, and Jonah. In my comparison of Shylocks actions with these Old Testament figures, all of whom balance justice with mercy, I paid close attention to how Shylocks demand for Antonios flesh contrasted with the mercy shown by Joseph toward his brothers or Abrahams intercession for Sodom, or Gods mercy towards Ninevah.

Writing this critique also let me to consider how religious views on justice can impact a persons behavior. Shylocks strict adherence to the law reflected his Jewish insistence on the letter of the law, and it also reflects the dangers of justice without mercy. It made me think about how justice is applied our days and how awful it can seem, particularly when it is retributive.

Conclusion

This semester, I learned that justice is a far less simplistic concept than I originally thought. My assignments on The Furies, The Eumenides, and Shylocks pursuit of justice each revealed different ideas and aspects of justicefrom divine retribution to human legal systems, and from vengeance to mercy. These submissions taught me that justice needs to be viewed carefullybecause a lot is at stake. I appreciate the balance that is needed and the compassion that can season it. From figures like Athena to Abraham we can see the relationship between justice and mercy and how that relationship applies to our own day. Through this work, I realized that true justice is shown when it incorporates reason, empathy, compassion, and…