Beautiful, yes. Then I remember immediately afterwards no mercy was granted to Shylock except on condition that he become a Christian. Shylock wasn’t the nicest man, but when you live in a society that openly insults you and spits in your face, I can understand why you would grow bitter and mean. Shylock was a victim of a viscous antisemitism that was displayed openly without consequence, in Europe for generations.
And culminated with the "Final Solution" of Hitler. Amazing how Shakespeare has been very lucid in his time. Few men in history have match this: Socrates, Confucius and Marx.
The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's When mercy seasons justice.
Her rendition is very stirring though there's one small point that bothers me. The key line is: > It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown. She adds a slight derogatory tone to "his crown", as if to say: the crown is unimportant, mercy is the most important thing. But this is a quintessentially modern way of thinking. The medieval mindset would be something like: The crown is supremely important, and mercy is even more important. It's a minor point, but it niggles at me.
Conrad Maclean, and therein lies the fault. Like many other actors of Shakespeare, she is too locked into the rhythm, and not sufficiently expressing of the meaning.
@@MandyJMaddison The tempo was about all she did well in that performance. Not to be cruel, but she's simply not the same caliber as these other performances. This is especially true compared to Lewis, Ashton, Joseph and Fiennes. Watching any one of those 4, then this, and the differences are stark.
This is incredible. In the most understated way. I NEVER strained to figure out what she was saying or what the words meant. She conveyed the intention so clearly and physically that the text became naturalistic. Even most of the great actors performing dramatic Shakespearean monologues leave me rewinding to parse out what they’ve truly said. She made it look effortless.
Incredibly profound, especially the part where justice would prevent us from seeing salvation. It really makes one understand the essence of mercy. He really was brilliant.
I have to memorize a soliloquy for class and I picked this one, very helpful with the pronunciation of some points and extremely beautiful reading overall, (especially as an american changing certain sounds would detract from the flow of the words.) enthron*ed*, *att*ribute (I got docked for saying it closer to "a tribute" during our first run of the material) and reading alongside listening helps make it sound a lot more natural where lines need to pause for breath. Idk, I'm struggling, this is beautiful.
Can you imagine a lawyer trying to persuade someone like this in a court room? It sounds like she doesn't have to do the work, but she REALLY has to persuade someone.
😱 OMG....... Wow!!!!...luvd u, ur expressions, ur voice modulations, ur style, ur pronunciations...... Lol... 😍😘 Tysm for making it easier than ever before to recite it in my school's assembly everyone Luvd d style of delivery 😊😊😊
The irony of this speech coming from a rich privileged, sheltered christian woman to a Jewish moneylender who has had to deal with a lifetime of oppression, right before she refuses to offer him that same mercy she criticised him for not showing is astounding!
Shylock is granted a light punishment relative to the severity of his crime -- conspiring against the life of a Venetian citizen. The usual penalty would have been the loss of all his land and goods to the state. It is Portia who, with her rhetoric on mercy, primes the duke to render a merciful sentence: Shylock is fined, but does not have the entirety of his property confiscated. Had Portia not extolled mercy, I am inclined to think (just speculating here) that the duke might have been less lenient. After all, Shylock shows no remorse when he gloats over having the chance to "legally" get away with murder. As an aside -- Certainly none of us assume the poor are incapable of being moral on account of their poverty. Neither ought we be surprised if a rich woman's wealth does not hinder her love for what is noble. It is also unremarkable that a Christian would value mercy, since this virtue has a central role in that religion.
Hmm I don't know... She stares into infinity a lot and without justification. (like if she were sad she would look down, but instead she looks down even though she is not sad) And this gives the impression that she is reading a script.
Sammy197 question. How and where would one look when one is sad about death of his cat and and is talking to his father about his opposition to technology.
I hate this monologue. What emotion do I give it? It feels just like talking, there’s nothing to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, she did great, I just can’t do something like this.
Actually i dont think she did such a great job, the words sound almost all the same to me. Its like she goes on and on without giving texture to the monologue. I like how she speaks and the rythm and the words are stressed correctly but besides that I dont seem to see any more in here.
Rubbish! Reading from autocue worst of the lot monotone and doesn’t understand the tone just reading it! Awful ! Damien Lewis and David Morrisey take a bow! Best I’ve ever seen please don’t watch this one!
Beautiful, yes. Then I remember immediately afterwards no mercy was granted to Shylock except on condition that he become a Christian. Shylock wasn’t the nicest man, but when you live in a society that openly insults you and spits in your face, I can understand why you would grow bitter and mean. Shylock was a victim of a viscous antisemitism that was displayed openly without consequence, in Europe for generations.
And culminated with the "Final Solution" of Hitler. Amazing how Shakespeare has been very lucid in his time. Few men in history have match this: Socrates, Confucius and Marx.
thanks this helped with my English homework
@@zarab6521 goated
@kprop have you read up on him?
@@thomasmilavec3754 You’re right, I didn’t. I saw the film with Al Pacino. What am I not getting?
Her voice makes me feel like I am listening to the public announcement on a spacecraft.
The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.
I heartily thank thee ! I worship the works of Shakespeare !
Thanks
Her rendition is very stirring though there's one small point that bothers me.
The key line is:
> It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.
She adds a slight derogatory tone to "his crown", as if to say: the crown is unimportant, mercy is the most important thing.
But this is a quintessentially modern way of thinking.
The medieval mindset would be something like:
The crown is supremely important, and mercy is even more important.
It's a minor point, but it niggles at me.
"oh Edith.. must you always be so dramatic?" -- Mary Crawley
Insert far from home spoilers EDITH
👏👏👏😂😂😂
The quality of mercy is not strained,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is Brian Blessed.
Oh she has such great rhythm to speaking this!
Conrad Maclean,
and therein lies the fault.
Like many other actors of Shakespeare, she is too locked into the rhythm, and not sufficiently expressing of the meaning.
@@MandyJMaddison The tempo was about all she did well in that performance. Not to be cruel, but she's simply not the same caliber as these other performances. This is especially true compared to Lewis, Ashton, Joseph and Fiennes. Watching any one of those 4, then this, and the differences are stark.
This is incredible. In the most understated way. I NEVER strained to figure out what she was saying or what the words meant. She conveyed the intention so clearly and physically that the text became naturalistic. Even most of the great actors performing dramatic Shakespearean monologues leave me rewinding to parse out what they’ve truly said.
She made it look effortless.
I'm with you. Isn't it just grand that stuff like this touches us?
Thank you for articulating what I have felt, Kyuubi Fox.
She did indeed. It was masterly.
Ma'am... ma'am I was just swatting a fly.
Incredibly profound, especially the part where justice would prevent us from seeing salvation. It really makes one understand the essence of mercy. He really was brilliant.
Yes, although a very obvious thought for a Christian
I have to memorize a soliloquy for class and I picked this one, very helpful with the pronunciation of some points and extremely beautiful reading overall, (especially as an american changing certain sounds would detract from the flow of the words.) enthron*ed*, *att*ribute (I got docked for saying it closer to "a tribute" during our first run of the material) and reading alongside listening helps make it sound a lot more natural where lines need to pause for breath.
Idk, I'm struggling, this is beautiful.
Same I chose this one to memorize for tomorrow,
Although
I can't seem to memorize the whole thing 😅
Imagine if people were all this thoughtful, articulate, and soothing to hear?
This is how Brazilians see Portugueses speaking.
You are the only one to so imagine
@@paulsolon6229 Hmm?
Such beautiful words ~ I do love Shakespeare ~
In the pursuit of justice none of us would see salvation.
Such a pleasant voice she has
“You weren’t talking to a jerk, you know.” - Barney Fife
Can you imagine a lawyer trying to persuade someone like this in a court room? It sounds like she doesn't have to do the work, but she REALLY has to persuade someone.
I loved this reading. Beautifully delivered. Thank you. P.S. When read this way, it makes it so more understandable
Simply Spellbinding.
This is the most important clip ever uploaded to UA-cam.
Laura, a superb reading. Would love to see you on stage doing shakespeare, your skills as an actress are first rate. I'm a great admirer of your work.
Close your eyes..n just listen to it... amazing!!
It's too good.....Her way of speaking really touched my heart
The quality of mercy is not strained!
This moves me to tears.
Perfection. Beautifully delivered.
So beautiful. So well done
I really like the way she interpreted this monologue. It's amazing how so many people can read the same line so differently
Wow! Just beautiful!
Yes, she is trying to save a soul
Thank u so much I needed to learn it for my play in my school and u helped me a lot. Ur acting and expressions are dope👌
In the comedy, she is not begging; she is chastising.
These comments really be helping with my English homework
Such a beautiful quote and so appropriate for current times
Wonderful.
they hath done Shylock wrong!
"How dare you bring The Bard into this..."
love you Laura
As I recall this is right before she unmercifully hammers Shylock into dust. LOL!
Well, this is her giving a chance for Shylock to back down. He doesn't then she wrecks him, but does have him killed.
Shotgun Parley Shylock converts to Christianity actually..
@@desertdaisymarie6951 I suspect Shotgun Parley intended for there to be a "not" after "does" in his response.
Thanks
The voice of Battlefield 1
Doesn’t get much better.
I love this part of the play
Phenomenal. Thank you.
Wonderful
Anyone else coming from MandyMod's reddit post?
BRAVO!!!
Well read. Brought tears to my eyes.
so cool
Bravo
I played The leftovers soundtrack over this and the result is masterpiece
beautiful poem, beautiful rendition
Why is this so hard
I love watching this every now and then
Oh wow great!truly helped me in my English elocution☺got ten out of ten.YAY!
She did great. But the first "mercy" sounds to me like "Mercia", the old Saxon country.
Thy sceptered hand lies in Jerusalem.
😱 OMG....... Wow!!!!...luvd u, ur expressions, ur voice modulations, ur style, ur pronunciations...... Lol... 😍😘 Tysm for making it easier than ever before to recite it in my school's assembly everyone Luvd d style of delivery 😊😊😊
Hahahahahahhaa, Anyone here from Julia Louis-Dreyfus acceptence speech?
what a beautiful woman
0:44
Our teacher told to learn this for asl
supeeerb
No bad
0:51 lol
Give credit where credit is do
Fuck yeah these words are dope!
0
The irony of this speech coming from a rich privileged, sheltered christian woman to a Jewish moneylender who has had to deal with a lifetime of oppression, right before she refuses to offer him that same mercy she criticised him for not showing is astounding!
Oppression, right. You should check better what lenders were doing at the time to collect debts.
Arimaquinador I am referring specifically to what Shylock has gone through in the play.
That's fair, sorry for missing the point.
Shylock is granted a light punishment relative to the severity of his crime -- conspiring against the life of a Venetian citizen. The usual penalty would have been the loss of all his land and goods to the state. It is Portia who, with her rhetoric on mercy, primes the duke to render a merciful sentence: Shylock is fined, but does not have the entirety of his property confiscated. Had Portia not extolled mercy, I am inclined to think (just speculating here) that the duke might have been less lenient. After all, Shylock shows no remorse when he gloats over having the chance to "legally" get away with murder.
As an aside -- Certainly none of us assume the poor are incapable of being moral on account of their poverty. Neither ought we be surprised if a rich woman's wealth does not hinder her love for what is noble. It is also unremarkable that a Christian would value mercy, since this virtue has a central role in that religion.
That is a fan-freaking-tastic reply.
U sound like Portia from the movie
I just feel in loved with this woman
It is enthro-NED...enthro-NED!!!😫😫😫
It's "Vingardium LeviOHsa"
Xam271 🙄🙄
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Lord what fools these mortals be.
Omg
What I play to my friend who is about to finish me in mtg, but instead once he downs my other friend, I finish him instead, hehehe 😝
I prefer Judi Dench.
Now put on a comically masculine voice like the stoners in life of Brian.
I think I'm in love 🥰
Julia Louis Dreyfus' was much better ...
Hmm I don't know... She stares into infinity a lot and without justification. (like if she were sad she would look down, but instead she looks down even though she is not sad) And this gives the impression that she is reading a script.
Sammy197 question. How and where would one look when one is sad about death of his cat and and is talking to his father about his opposition to technology.
do a vid Sammy and show us how it`s done.
Sammy i think the same
Making him lose his Jewishness is not mercy
Explain this to a bunch of half wits.
I hate this monologue. What emotion do I give it? It feels just like talking, there’s nothing to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, she did great, I just can’t do something like this.
Actually i dont think she did such a great job, the words sound almost all the same to me. Its like she goes on and on without giving texture to the monologue. I like how she speaks and the rythm and the words are stressed correctly but besides that I dont seem to see any more in here.
No. This may be a famous actress, but note that often fame has little connection to quality
Julia was robbed from this role.
Ghastly reading.
Mercy towards one another is short supply nowadays. Especially in the cause of justice
Bad
👎
Very bad
Rubbish! Reading from autocue worst of the lot monotone and doesn’t understand the tone just reading it! Awful ! Damien Lewis and David Morrisey take a bow! Best I’ve ever seen please don’t watch this one!
Agreee
Laura is hot.
Bravo
👎