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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Philosopher who wrote (51096)	8/13/1999 7:00:00 PM
From: Edwarda	Respond to of 108807

As you must know, it was one of his transitional plays and, I think, more designed to illuminate the position of Shylock and other Jews in England at the time than to elevate Bassanio, Portia, or anyone else in the cast. (BTW, have you ever read Romeo and Juliet and Troilus and Cressida back to back? The latter is a scathing satire of the former and quite an experience.) Could I say this today with force? You bet your sweet ass I could! You have totally misconstrued Portia, who went to bat to save a life. And this speech can be conveyed with great vim, compassion, and a strong sense of conviction--which, as we know, juries lap up: The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. . . . His sceptre shows the force of temporal power The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings. (IV,i) It was Portia's finest moment in the play and, this you may tie to, no way would a good actress lisp the words. Ellen Terry certainly didn't.