In William Shakespeare's timeless play, The Merchant of Venice, Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, prosecutes Antonio for he fails to repay his debt. Shylock attempts to use the law for his own personal gain but instead when his unjust claim goes to court, he finds that the law is not so easily manipulated. By literally interpreting the bond, that Shylock himself writes, and by following the Venetian law the judge gives Shylock a just sentence.

Shylock tries to condemn another man while not noticing the problem he was applying to himself. He has lent money to Antonio by making a bond declaring that he must repay the sum with "a pound of flesh."(4.1.320) Antonio fails to repay the debt but when Bassanio, Antonio's friend, offers twice the sum of the initial loan Shylock rejects it because he wants to see Antonio dead. The judge points out that the bond...