Based on the assumption that Shakespeare is versed in the legal codes in his time, this paper intends to locate all the legal inaccuracies in The Merchant of Venice, a play known for its legal theme, and argues that these aberrations are consciously committed. Shakespeare deliberately creates a court scene that flouts important legal principles so as to reflect inequalities in the power relationships between various subcultures; law, the supposed embodiment of justice, is subtly tilted in favor of the more privileged groups and the more established discourses.
목차
Abstract Introduction Legal Controversies in The Merchant of Venice Equity Portia’s Suspicious Counterstrike The Alien Statute The Unfair and Impractical Punishment of Shylock A Suggested Reading of Antonio vs. Shylock Conclusion References