Justice Versus Mercy

“Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice” (Ford, Harrison). Justice is very essential to restore a fair and supportive society. I am a staunch advocate of the fact that the societies where injustice prevails, they suffer badly and their future’s end in mere darkness. This is not a fact but your opinion. Justice can be interpreted as receiving what is deserved, whereas mercy means receiving what is not deserved. Although these two qualities seem to share a completely different set of aspects, in a civilized human life they are placed together in a parallel position where one is as fundamental as the other. However, for the continuation of civilized life, justice is a greater concern and should be taken more seriously over mercy. King Lear, a tremendous effort by William Shakespeare provides a clear insight into the importance of justice. There are number of examples in the play where we realize that justice is very important not only in the play but also in reality. In the following essay, I will elaborate with the help of examples why justice should be provided immediately without any delay and why justice is not only embraced by the civilized world but by the lord also; and lastly justice leads people to realize their faults/crimes and helps them to change. Justice is a strong pillar of society that should never be taken for granted or diminished because in doing so all of society will suffer to great extremes. The significance of justice is not just limited to establishment of harmony and stability in society but also important to ensure the victim feels secure and satisfied after a crime is committed against them and lastly justice allows a person to take responsibility for their actions and grow as a person. Practising justice sooner rather than later is very essential in establishing an ongoing pattern of stability. We see number of examples of this in King Lear throughout the play. For instance, in Act III when Lear’s messenger