Justice Mercy Eumenides Trial Jury Analysis

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 justice—or, 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 submissions—an analysis of The Furies, a reflection on Aeschylus’ The Eumenides, and a critique of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice—addresses 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 balance—which 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, Shylock’s 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. Shylock’s version of justice is arguably personal, even obsessive, and devoid of mercy—which 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 the philosophical implications of justice systems, while my critique of Shakespeare’s justice-versus-mercy conlict encouraged me to reflect on how mercy in Scripture. 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.

My first submission in my portfolio is an analysis of The Furies. This assignment asked me to interpret how the Furies define justice in the context of Aeschylus’ Oresteia. The Furies are ancient deities who serve vengeance, and their pursuit of Orestes reflects the idea of retributive justice. The prompt asked me to explore the Furies’ role and how they embody this idea of justice.

The part of the prompt I paid closest attention to was the idea that the Furies’ justice operates outside humanistic principles. I was drawn to this aspect because it made me think outside our current standards. We often assume justice must involve fairness and empathy, but the Furies’ justice contrasts with these values. Their justice is unwavering, determined, absolute. They represent the fact that every deed must be answered for. solely on maintaining cosmic balance. This interpretation was supported by my analysis of specific lines from the text, such as their assertion that they pursue "those criminals who slaughter their own mothers” (lines 210-11). These words show that their sense of justice is part of an ancient need to punish acts that disrupt familial bonds.

What fascinated me most was the logic of the Furies’ argument. They warn that failure to punish matricide would lead to social chaos (lines 630-34). In other words, crime has to be punished, regardless of intent—otherwise society sees that breaking the law has no consequence and respect for law then dies. As I reflected on debates about the role of punitive justice versus restorative justice in our own legal systems today, I really appreciated the Furies’ view: it makes sense; however, there is nonetheless an enduring concern that remains.

In writing this analysis, I developed a greater appreciation for justice. The Furies’ justice is relentless and unyielding, yet it is also without mercy or empathy, which is why it remains something fearsome. It represents a kind of warning for human societies that think everything should be permitted. Justice will find a way: it is natural and divine. Yet, we can also think about mercy because of other ideas that have been passed down to us.

The second submission in my portfolio is a reflection on Aeschylus’ The Eumenides. This assignment focused on how Aeschylus presents the move from divine retribution (i.e., the Furies’ vengeance) to a more humane and sympathetic system of justice. The central conflict is whether Orestes should be punished for killing his mother. Yet this conflict also acts as a stage for a wider debate about absolute vengeance versus trial-based justice.

The prompt required me to compare the roles of the Furies, Apollo, and Athena, and to reflect on how the play’s style contributes to its message. I paid special attention to the tone of the text and how it elevated the characters’ moral arguments. The speeches of Apollo and Athena, for example, reflect logical reasoning. The Furies’ speeches are more visceral and absolute. The gods are interested in understanding and adapting. The Furies reject all commiseration.

The part of the assignment that most interested me was the role of Athena, who introduces the concept of a human judicial system. Her intervention is necessary in setting the stage for this kind of justice in Athenian society. It represents the move away from justice by divine decree to justice according to human deliberation. Her actions symbolize the birth of trial-based justice. This fascinated me because I saw it as a mythological representation of real-world developments in the history of legal systems, particularly in our own day.

Writing this reflection deepened my understanding of how justice should be considered. The Furies’ opposition to a more compassionate form of justice shows that there is always going to be a kind of demand for punishment—but this does not have to be the only way. Punishment without compassion can even seem illogical—but it is something that should be considered on a case-by-case basis rather than absolutely, rigidly, and without bending. This realization gave me an appreciation for justice reform in our society which still struggles with punitive versus rehabilitative ideas of justice.

The third submission in my portfolio is a critique of Shylock’s sense of justice in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. This assignment required me to analyze Shylock’s pursuit of “a pound of flesh” and to determine whether his sense of justice aligns with that of Old Testament heroes. I ultimately rejected the idea that Shylock reflected Old Testament heroes, and I gave some examples and reasons why. I basically argued that Old Testament heroes do not embody the letter of the law, or the idea of vengeance, which Shylock embodies, but rather they temper their sense of justice with mercy and thus foreshadow the Christ.