Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0
Paper 1
Revise: Mercy, justice and the lawThe trial can also be read through Christian typology, contrasting an ‘Old Law’ associated with strict judgement and a ‘New Law’ associated with Christian grace and forgiveness. In this reading, Shylock’s insistence on the bond is set against Portia’s appeal to mercy. This is a Christian interpretative framework, not an objective account of Judaism and Christianity.