The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice on Broadway starring Al Pacino.

Al Pacino was worth every stinking penny I paid to see this show. He played the Jewish merchant Shylock. Shylock in this show in my opinion is such a victim. He is constantly discriminated against because of his religion. It eventually pushes him into becoming obsessed with a bloody and fatal revenge. Pacino is one of the most stunning actors I have ever watched. He embodied the heightened speech and despite how outdated much of the language is it was clear every moment he was on stage everything he was feeling and everything he was saying. Breathtaking. He had me on the edge of my seat mouth agape and in tears for the entire show.

The language Shakespeare uses to express emotions or situations moves me in a way I cannot explain. It paints such a vivid picture of how heightened the circumstances are.

some of the quotes that moved me in this production :

-There is a portion of the show when Shylock is being begged not to exact his revenge and Shylock beats his chest and says the following

"An Oath an Oath an Oath! I have taken an Oath. Would you have me commit perjury against my soul."

Shylock also has been persecuted the entire play for being Jewish and he makes this speech about the similarities between the pious Christians and himself a "jewish dog"

"Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

(This one is my personal favorite speech in all of Shakespeare.) This speech is delivered by portia who is impersonating a judge. She pleads with Shylock to show mercy. She explains that mercy is from God and how could we ever expect to receive mercy if you cannot give mercy to others.

"The quality of mercy is not strained,
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."