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King Lear Research Paper

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King Lear Research Paper
Justice Versus Mercy - King Lear

The struggle to live a life that balances justice and mercy dates back to the beginning of human civilization. Ever since we developed the ability to document our thoughts and ideas, we have written about the need to make people pay for their actions, or grant them forgiveness for their mistakes.
Although both are essential to human civilization, I will make the point in this essay that mercy must take precedence over justice if we wish to prosper. Shakespeare, as befits his reputation, gives us a grand canvass where all decisions of justice and mercy are inflated in their importance and visibility. King Lear must wield power to make his kingdom work, thus he dispense justice, but do so justly. Mercy
…show more content…
The primary process the candidates must work within forces all the candidates to focus on non-political topics in a desperate attempt to win over the feelings of core Republican voters, who don't necessarily represent the majority American value system. The longer the primaries go on, the more value centric the debate becomes, drifting sharply from the political policies that are so necessary in these dire economic times. Almost to a person these men running to be the republican representative choose to use format their religious beliefs to make declarations about what can be "justly" imposed on others rather than what mercy might allow to be done. Debates over issues such as reproductive rights and the freedom of marriage seem to be focused on winning over the baser emotions of the ignorant rather than pushing their country into a more progressive state of acceptance. ---- You have to tie this in better. King Lear begs for This relates directly to the beginning of King Lear when Cordelia, the only daughter who refuses to be overcome by emotions, is shunned by her father and receives no share of her father's power. He is unjust when he should have been merciful. Does this lead to his downfall? …show more content…
The "Harper Government's" recent “tough on crime” bill sets out to enforce minimum sentences for crimes that would otherwise have been dealt with by judges closer to the case, with an understanding of whether mercy (or leniency) has a place in the sentencing. This act will cost tax payers hundreds of millions of dollars per year to satisfy the Harper government's need to be seen as imposing punishment. The concept that people must be punished in an arbitrary fashion assumes that all perpetrators will continue committing crimes unless punished in a black and white sense. It rejects the notion that the quality of mercy is not strained, bestowing blessings on he who gives mercy and he who receives mercy (sorry). This idea of good vs bad with no middle ground is, sadly, what many of the modern views on justice have become. This can be equated to when someone opposing Regan was thrown into a dung heap and left to die, not because what they did was essentially wrong, but because their dissent was deemed unlawful by the power in charge. Explain and

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