The quality of mercy (Shakespeare quote) The quality of mercy (Shakespeare quote) "The quality of mercy" is a quote by Portia in William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice"; it occurs during Act 4, Scene 1, set in a Venetian Court of Justice. It is the speech in which Portia begs Shylock for mercy. The speech is regarded as one of the great speeches in Shakespeare, and it is an example of the esteem Shakespeare held for those who showed mercy. The speech is regarded as one of the great speeches in Shakespeare and is made by Portia, disguised as young lawyer Balthazar, who speaks with heightened
Shakespeare for My Father she lost to Madeline Kahn), and went on to play in Canada, Melbourne, and at the Haymarket in London. The play received significant critical acclaim. "New York Magazine" described "Shakespeare for my Father" as "a one-woman show by Lynn Redgrave in which she reminisces about life with her father, Sir Michael Redgrave, with full scenes from Shakespeare's works", and stated that Redgrave's "sense of humor makes it a pleasure and privilege to watch". Patti Hartigan of "The Boston Globe" described the play as a "triumph", and Lloyd Rose of "The Washington Post" said of Redgrave's performance, "Particularly when she is