Source identified
Read & copy the quotation
“But mercy is above this sceptered sway.”
- Source
- The Merchant of Venice
- Date
- c. 1596
- Local voice
- Fictional character · Portia
Meaning of “But mercy is above this sceptered sway.”
The speech places mercy above the visible instruments of authority, suggesting that restraint can represent a higher form of power than punishment.
Where does it come from?
The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1; Portia contrasts mercy with the coercive force symbolized by a monarch’s scepter.
Why the local voice matters
Portia contrasts mercy with coercive royal power in The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1.
