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Essay: Injustice in Literature: Harper Lee and Shakespeare Expose Prejudices and Discrimination

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  • Published: 23 March 2023*
  • Last Modified: 22 July 2024
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  • Words: 1,032 (approx)
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  • Tags: Shakespeare essays

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When considering the representation of injustice in literature, Harper Lee in To Kill A Mockingbird presents an inquisitive protagonist that challenges the attitudes and values of a prejudiced society. In contrast, Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice explores a world where justice is dependent on social attitudes that are characterised by a deep-rooted fear and dislike of the Jewish minority. Injustice by definition is ‘lack of fairness or justice’ and the lack of fairness portrayed in Tom Robinson’s trial in To Kill A Mockingbird acts as a catalyst to the narrator, Scout, to confront difficult truths about bias and racism within her community. Alternatively, Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice features comic scenarios that allows it to implicitly expose the religious discrimination of the characters. Thus, it may be suggested that both texts convey the various forms of injustice, exemplified by Lee’s depiction of injustice as “sick, plain sick” and Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock “craving the law” whilst rejecting mercy that “seasons justice”, which places him at a disadvantage in society.

One of the most significant factors in both texts is the presentation of injustice through the prejudice displayed in The Merchant of Venice, which forms a stem for discrimination in Maycomb County. The community of Maycomb County all believe themselves to be devout, wholesome people. However, the reader reveals many instances when discrimination is justified by religion as they use their religion to indulge in criticisms. Harper Lee uses religious symbolism through the use of the “ladies of the missionary tea circle” to represent the gender roles of women in the South in the 1930s. The majority of the women believe themselves to be utterly perfect “southern-belles,” who devote their lives to discussing the works of Jesus. Lee reveals through the presentation of the women’s viewpoints they reflect the various liberal, conservative and hypocritical viewpoints found in the general population of Maycomb County. Their shallow ideas are expressed through their discussion of the “Mrunas” and how awful it would be to have “lots of children running around” “all dirty” and “flea ridden” in their community. However, the irony of this situation is the women have these types of people living amongst them in the form of the Ewell family. Although they may be aware of this, they may refuse to acknowledge it because as “ladies” they cannot accept such outcasts in their own town. Therefore, Lee demonstrates religion acts as a foundation for the deep-rooted prejudice within Maycomb County.

Similarly, Shakespeare presents religion creating divide, which justifies discrimination between characters during the Venetian Renaissance. Venice was divided into two different religious groups, which consisted of a dominant Christian society where Jews were frequently excluded by their community. Religion reflected moral standards. Shakespeare explores the antagonist, Shylock, as a victim of routine assault. Shylock is verbally abused as he is called a “misbeliever” and is dehumanised as a “cut-throat dog” while Shylock just “borne it with a patient shrug.” This highlights how prevalent anti-Semitic behaviour was during the 16th century. Lorenzo says “if e’er the Jew her father come to heaven, it will be for his gentle daughter’s sake.” Lorenzo discredits Judaism, suggesting Shylock is unable to go to heaven because of his inferior and less powerful faith. Shylock describes being physically abused by Antonio through being “spet” upon, highlighting the difficulties faced by Jews in the Renaissance era. Jessica, Shylock’s only “flesh and blood,” “rebels” against her father by converting to Christianity. The use of dramatic irony displays Shylock as a much more sympathetic character. He yells on the streets “O my daughter, Fled with a Christian!” Jessica’s hurtful actions cause emotional and financial pain to her father. Shylock reminds the Venetians and the audience of the pains and emotions he endures by delivering a monologue. He reminds Venetians that Jews have the same “hands, organs, dimensions, senses” as them and pledges to behave as villainously as they have and will “better the instruction.” This casts him in a less sympathetic light. Ann Barton suggests Shylock is presented as as a “wronged and suffering father” nobler by far than the people who triumph over him.” Comedians initially portrayed Shylock as either a clown or a monster but Shakespearean actor Edmund Kean won great acclaim for playing Shylock sympathetically, emphasising the tragedy in the comedy. Therefore, both Lee and Shakespeare present spiteful characters using religion to exclude and mistreat marginalised groups in society, Shakespeare however differing from Lee as he reflects the emotional and physical torture inflicted on the subordinates in society.

Furthermore, an instance of outright conflict between religions takes place in both texts. Miss Maudie’s regular confrontation with the Baptists demonstrates the bias she holds. Miss Maudie labels Baptists as “foot-washers” believing anything that is “pleasure is a sin” as she is condemned for “spending too much time in God’s outdoors and not enough time inside the house reading the Bible.” Through the use of the term “foot-washing Baptist,” Miss Maudie describes Baptists in a pejorative sense as a way to draw attention to the super-strict religious practices of a particular denomination. Miss Maudie presents these Baptists in a negative light, as religious fanatics who are intolerant of others who do not share the same beliefs and can be seen as callous individuals. Verses from the Bible such as “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” and “Do unto other as you would like done unto you” are not applied in the Maycomb community as there is an entrenched hypocrisy and unjust racism in the society. For the community of Maycomb, black people are assumed to have no feelings whatsoever and Lee illustrates their discrimination in the division of the churches. Lula says “their church and we got our’n.” Despite worshipping the “same God,” as stated by Calpurnia, these differences in race have utmost importance. The feelings of oppression, resentment and social injustice are omnipresent in the community. Thus, religion plays an extremely important part in the society of Maycomb as the community use it as a basis to form racially biased beliefs, even though the Bible does not commend or apprehend the ill treatment of black people.

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