Merchant of Venice and the Crucible Comparison Essay

Ashley Tam Ms. Parker ENG2DB – 01 December 17, 2010 Injustice: Power Gone Wrong All communities run successfully with qualities of fairness and equality. The well-being of the citizens depends on the support and guidance they receive from those with power and influence in their society. When the people become corrupt and start having intentions that do not contribute back to the community, the society will fall apart and be unable to maintain balance and stability. In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible the reader sees examples of injustice inflicted on the victims within the plays through the people with power within the community. The Christians in The Merchant of Venice mock Shylock the Jew†¦show more content†¦The punishments determined by the Christians affect Shylock severely and he ends up losing all that he has. The injustice Shylock receives is more than enough to prove his continuous suffering throughout the play. Antonio â€Å"call[s him] misbeliever, cut-thr oat dog,† (1.3.107), demonstrating the abusive treatment he receives as the Christians make fun of him and throw hateful words at him. Shylock has no one to stand up for him, appearing alone in most scenes whereas the Christians always arrive in groups. This â€Å"ganging up† gives the Christians power over Shylock and when they use this power to hurt Shylock emotionally, the injustice and damage created is exponential. The court is already in favour to Antonio winning as shown by the Duke saying he â€Å"think[s] so too, / That [Shylock] but lead’st this fashion of [his] malice to the last hour of act.† (4.1.17-19) the power is unequal and this ruling forces Shylock to surrender and accept his defeat. It is unjust for this to happen as Shylock does not get a fair trial and ends up losing everything. Likewise, the court overuses its power and ends up killing the entire community. The power of the court enforces theocracy to a degree that results in the cit izens being accused of not following them correctly and turning to witchcraft. John Proctor succumbs to saying he is associated with the devil and â€Å"sign[s himself] to lies† (Miller 133) by confessing to an act he did not commit. TheShow MoreRelatedEssay Prompts4057 Words   |  17 PagesAP ENGLISH LIT AND COMP FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS 2004 (Form A): Critic Roland Barthes has said, â€Å"Literature is the question minus the answer.† Choose a novel or play and, considering Barthes’ Observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers any answers. Explain how the author’s treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary. You may select a work from the list below or another