The Merchant of Venice: Act IV sc i - Portia

Summary: In this scene Portia is pleading to Shylock for the life of Antonio. Antonio is responsible for the debt that Bassanio owesShylock. Bassanio is Portia's partner and needed money to be with Portia. When Bassanio borrowed the money the punishment for failure to pay back the money on time was 'a pound of flesh'which would cause certain death. Bassanio didn't pay the debt back in time and now Shylock wants his 'pound of flesh' from Antonio. Portia is trying to get Shylock to change his mind and see the virtue of being merciful.
Find and highlight these techniques in the speech:
metaphor
alliteration
repetition
Answer the following questions using quotes where applicable:
How does Portia describe mercy? How important and powerful is it?



Portia describes mercy as the hand of god and the only way to get mercy is through god is is very efective because back them they only though What can one achieve through mercy?

Salvation is through prayerHow is religion part of this speech? (You need to do some thinking on this one.)
Religion is a major part of the speech because it is all the way through
Portia
The quality of mercy is not strain'd, (Easy)
It droppeth as the gentlerain from heaven (Similie)
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; (Mercy + God)
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:(parralell Struckure)
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes(Greatest of the Great)
The throned monarch better than his crown;(Be above humans and be closer to god)
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, (Represents his Temperary power through the scepter)
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;(is that mercy is god like and makes you closer to a "God")
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,(THe Theme)
It is an attribute to God himself;(THEME)
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons(Metaphore) justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;jumped
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.