Quality of Mercy (Questions and Answers) is a poem written by William Shakespeare. To read summary of this poem click here. You can also play quiz on this poem. In this post we are going to discuss important questions and answers of this poem for SSLC exam. Quality of Mercy (Questions and Answers)
I. Answer in a word/a phrase/a sentence each :
1.Mercy is compared to something in the first two lines of the poem. What is it?
Ans: It is compared to the gentle rain from heaven.
2.The speaker says that mercy is twice blessed? What does she mean by this?
Ans: Mercy blesses the giver and the taker too.
3.”Sceptre shows the force of temporal power” In contrast, what or whose quality does mercy stand for?
Ans: Mercy is divine and flows from the heart.
4.Mention the three things of temporal power of a king.
Ans: Throne, Crown and Sceptre.
5.When does earthly power show divine power?
Ans.: When kings adopt mercy with justice
II. Answer the following in 2 or 3 sentences each:
1.Mercy is compared to gentle rain from heaven. How is this comparison apt?
Ans.: As the gentle rain falls on the earth, so also when mercy is shown it blesses the giver and the
taker and given comfort.
2.The speaker compares the power of the king with the power of mercy, saying that mercy is the mightiest of the mightiest. How does she justify this?
Ans: The king who has sceptre in his hand evokes a feeling of fear in the minds of others but the
king who has a feeling of mercy in his heart possesses divine quality of mercy.
3.The poem ‘Quality of Mercy’ has fourteen lines. But it is not a sonnet. Justify the statement.
Ans: This poem consists of fourteen lines but it is not a sonnet as there is no rhyme, scheme in the
poem. In other words there isn’t three quatrains and a couplet.
III. Read the following extracts and answer the questions given below:
1.”It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
upon the place beneath. It is twice blest”
a. What is compared to the gentle rain from heaven?
Ans: Mercy
b. Why does the speaker feel it is twice blest?
Ans: Because the person who shows mercy and the person who receives mercy is also blest.
c. What is twice blest referred here?
Ans: Mercy
2.His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty.
a. How does the sceptre show temporal power?
Ans: The sceptre creates fear among people.
b. In contrast, what quality does mercy stand for?
Ans: Mercy stands for divine quality and it flows from the heart.
c. What do you mean by sceptre?
Ans: A decorated rod carried by a King or queen to show power.
3.‘Its mightiest in the mightiest’
a. Who is mighty here?
Ans: Mercy
b. How is it mighty?
Ans: Quality of Mercy is more powerful than all the symbols of power on earth.
c. Is it temporal power or devine power?
Ans: Quality of mercy is devine power.
4.It is an attribute to God himself.
a. What is this attribute?
Ans: Quality of Mercy
b. Why is it a quality of God?
Ans.: God is all merciful and anyone on earth who preaches it is like God.
c. What do you mean by attribute?
Ans: Quality or character
5.It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
a. How does it bless the one who gives?
Ans: The giver gets the blessing as he has helped the other person.
b. How does it bless the one who takes?
Ans.: The taker is blest because he is forgiven.
c. What is ‘it’ referred here?
Ans: Mercy
IV. Answer in about eight sentences:
1.How does the speaker in the court try to convince Shylock that mercy is twice blessed and
is a divine quality? OR What does Portia tell Shylock about the quality of Mercy?
Ans: Portia, one of the main characters in the play ‘The Merchant of Venice’, argues why mercy is the greatest virtue of all. Portia compares mercy to the gentle rain that falls from heaven to the ground. Mercy blesses both the giver and the receiver. It is the most powerful of all virtues and enhances the glory of a king more than his crown. The sceptre of a monarch is a symbol of worldly power. It controls people through fear. The power of the sceptre mercy is divine and has its seat in the heart. The power of a man who shows mercy along with justice would be God – like in nature.
2.Write the summary of the poem ‘Quality of Mercy.’
Ans: The Quality of mercy is not forced. It drops down from heaven as a gentle rain upon the earth; blessing both the giver and the receiver. This quality is very might and is like a majestic enthroned Monarch who is looked with awe due to his sceptre and crown. The sceptre creates awe and fear in the hearts of the people. But mercy is above this. It resides in the hearts of the kings and is a quality of God himself. If mercy is a part of justice, then this earthly power shines like a Godly power.
V. Quote from memory the poem ‘Quality of Mercy’
The quality of mercy is not strain’d;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath, It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kinds;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the heart of kings;
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice.
by- William Shakespeare
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