Balthasar debate
Balthasar was disguised by Portia. Balthasar was a lawyer; in this court, he was a judge. Portia used the Balthasar’s identity to join the lawsuit and help Antonio to win the lawsuit.
In this debate, Balthasar needs to present that he is justice and he also needs to analyze the relations between words and laws. In the beginning, he failed to find out the relations and persuade Shylock to forgive Antonio.
In the middle part, he made a famous speech, "The quality of mercy". In the speech, he continually reminded Shylock to show his mercy. But Shylock refused any compensation and determined to take a pound of flesh of Antonio. When he got the court granting, him to take a pound of flesh, he took his knife, preparing to take the flesh. At the same time, Balthasar finds that the context of contract and say “the contract allows you to remove only Antonio’s flesh, not blood. Thus, if you made any drop of Antonio’s blood, your lands and goods would be sequestrated. She tells him that he must cut precisely one pound of flesh, no more, no less; she advises him that "if the scale do turn, but in the estimation of a hair, you die and all your goods are confiscate."
In the end, Shylock accepted Bassanio’s offer of three times money, but Balthasar said that he has already refused it in the court. According to the law, “alien”, having attempted to take the life of a citizen, has sequestrate his property, half to the government and half to Antonio, leaving his life at the mercy of the Duke. The Duke spares the Shylock's life and says he may remit the sequestrate. Balthasar says the Duke may waive the state's share, but not Antonio's. Antonio says he is content that the state waives, its claim to half Shylock's wealth if he can have his one-half share "in use" until Shylock's death, when the property would be given to Lorenzo and Jessica. Antonio also asks that "for this favor" Shylock converts to Christianity and bequeath his entire estate to Lorenzo and Jessica. The Duke then threatens to recant his pardon of Shylock's life unless he accepts these conditions. Shylock, re-threatened with death, accepts with the words, "I am content."