1. The conflict between justice and mercy is always relevant in a civilised society.The concern with the letter and the spirit of the law shown in The Merchant of Venice is not peculiar to Shakespeare's time. In a recent case a mother of three fell asleep at the wheel causing the death of three of her children. The distraught woman was severely injured herself but was prosecuted. Most people saw this as unmerciful. Had she not suffered enough? Why did police have to keep to the letter of the law?
2. Anti-semitism is alive and well today. Every now and then there is a spate of defiling Jewish graves and synagogues here in NZ. The Nazi-driven Holocaust of the 1940s is still very recent. MOV provides a surprisingly fresh and vivid look at this issue.
3. Racism and prejudice itself is ever present. There is always an in-group in society - usually white men (sorry guys). In America they used to be called WASPs = white anglo-saxon protestants - even Catholics are somewhat on the edge! Anyone not in this group is often treated as the "Other". The "Other" is a sociological term for social groups which are dehumanised because they are different. Shylock's plea for identity as an equal human being has huge resonance in the world today: "If you prick us, do we not bleed?" etc
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