I think that justice and mercy can co-exist. In Merchant of Venice, these two virtues are heavily reflected in Act 4 Scene 1. Mercy is displaying forgiveness for an act which is caused by compassion and kindness. However, justice is the fulfilling the law and dishing out punishment that is due.
Many feel that justice is referred to as “an eye for an eye”. However, I feel that this is a misconception. Justice does not necessarily have to be deemed “immoral”. In the case of a murderer, I feel that justice has to be done and no mercy is to be shown depending on the circumstances of the case. This is because the offender has to pay for his wrong doings. On the other hand, mercy can be shown if the offender has done something out of accident or passion. I feel that these crimes can be shown mercy as the offender might not have the intention to do so. A recent case in Iran shows how justice and mercy can co-exist. A man had splashed acid on a woman which resulted in her becoming blind. The court showed justice by allowing the victim to exact revenge onto the attacker. However, the victim decided to show mercy and waivered the punishment on the attacker. This case clearly shows how justice and mercy can co-exist. Many feel that mercy cannot exist with justice as it lightens the sentence of it. I feel that this is wrong as mercy should not be for anyone else to decide but the punisher himself.
In conclusion, I feel that mercy and justice can co-exist. This is because our choices are the determining factor of the outcome.
