The Quality of Mercy Poem Notes
Introduction
"The Quality of Mercy" by William Shakespeare is a key poem in the SSLC English syllabus for 2025. This blog post provides detailed notes to help students understand and prepare for their exams.
Answer the Following Questions
1. The speaker says that mercy is twice blessed. What does she mean by this?
The speaker says that mercy brings blessings in two ways. The person who shows mercy his blessed. The person who receives mercy is also blessed.
2. What is mercy compared to? How is the comparison apt? Justify your answer.
Mercy his compared to the gentle rain from heaven upon the earth. The rain which falls on the earth helps in the fertility of the earth and thereby blesses the earth. In the same way the quality of mercy is gentle and blesses both the giver and receiver. Mercy cannot be compelled.
3. "Sceptre shows the force of temporal power". In contrast, what or whose quality does mercy stand for?
The sceptre is a symbol of the worldly power. It creates among people, Mercy is divine and his seated in the heart of kings.
4. How do you justify that mercy is the mightiest in the mightiest, when compared to the power of the king?
The king's crown, throne and sceptre create fear and awe in us. The king has temporal power. Mercy his above the kings sceptre and it blesses both the giver and receiver. It enthroned in the heart of the kings and it is an attribute to god himself.
5. "The earthly power becomes divine power". Who has the earthly power? When does it become divine power?
The king has earthly power. The earthly power becomes divine power when the king has mercy in his heart.
1'. "His sceptre shows the force of temporal power".
a) What does temporal power mean?
Ans: Worldly power/earthly power
b) What does sceptre create in the mind of the people?
Ans: The sceptre create fear in the mind of the people.
c) What quality does mercy stand for in contrast to temporal power?
Ans: Divine quality
d) who is the speaker?
Ans: Portia is the speaker.
e) How does Mercy differ from sceptre?
Ans: Mercy is divine power that sceptre is worldly power.
2'. "And earthly power doth then show likest God's. When mercy season justice".
a) When does earthly power becomes like divine power?
Ans: When Mercy seasons with justice.
b) How should the king's judgement be?
Ans: It should be seasoned with mercy.
c) What does earthly power mean?
Ans: Temporal power.
d) What are the symbols of earthly power?
Ans: Sceptre, throne and crown.
e) What happens when Mercy season justice?
Ans: Earthly judgement becomes like God's judgement.
3'. "It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed".
a) What does upon the place beneath refer to?
Ans: The Earth
b) What is compared to the gentle rain from heaven?
Ans: Mercy is compared to the gentle rain from heaven.
c) Why does the speaker feel it is twice blessed?
Ans: According to the speaker, the person who shows mercy is blessed. The person who receives mercy is also blessed. So it is twice blessed
Summary
The poem "The Quality of Mercy" by William Shakespeare explores the divine nature of mercy. The speaker, Portia, describes mercy as twice blessed, benefiting both the giver and receiver, likening it to gentle rain from heaven. Unlike the temporal power symbolized by a king's sceptre, which instills fear, mercy is a divine attribute that enhances a king's judgment when seasoned with justice. It surpasses worldly power, residing in the heart of kings and reflecting God's nature.