Adventures in Poetry - “The quality of mercy is not strain'd”

Daljit Nagra marks Shakespeare's birth and death (April 23rd 1564 - April 23rd 1616) as he revisits the BBC's poetry archive and selects Adventures in Poetry - "The quality of mercy is not strain'd".

**And Daljit reads from his Poetry Extra Book of the Month: The House of Broken Things by Kim Moore.

Peggy Reynolds explores the background, effect and lasting appeal of the well-loved poem:- “The quality of mercy is not strain'd” from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.“

The quality of mercy is not strain'd” is delivered by Portia in The Merchant of Venice as she confronts Shylock in court – and its moving plea for mercy and forgiveness is followed by a distinctly unmerciful legal demolition of Shylock’s claim to a pound of flesh from Antonio in forfeit of his debt.

Peggy Reynolds explores the legal, theological and linguistic complexities of the piece with The Lord Chief Justice, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Lisa Jardine and Rabbi Julia Neuberger, and the actress Janet Suzman talks about her approach to the speech.

Reader - Janet Suzman

Producer - Sara Davies

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2007.