<p>I have a roal commentary that I have to prepare for school on tuesday and I had some doubts. The text I have to comment is an excerpt from merchant of venice. My doubt is regarding theme. I'm not really used to working with theme etc so I hope someone here can help me. Must the theme something universal like: love, hate, envy etc, or can it be more specific? The excerpt is the part where shylock is demanding his bond and the duke asks him if he has no mercy yada yada, antonio tells bassanio that its no use trying to convince shylock etc. I was thinking can the theme be: shylocks lakc of mercy and his obsession with the bond, or does it have to be more universal? any help....I suck at this.</p>
<p>I'm not sure, but I think it needs to be more universal for theme...but I'm not sure.</p>
<p>Theme is more universal; what you described would be the excerpt where you would analyze it.</p>
<p>o i see....any ideas then of a possible theme?....I'm still thinking lack of mercy, just leaving it at that to avoid making it specific, what do you guys think?</p>
<p>just mercy sounds good</p>
<p>Cruelty would be a good way to shorten it, and that would work.</p>
<p>thanks guys :), gotta go do the rest of it now.</p>