Capital Punishment In William Shakespeare's Mercy But Murders, Pardoning Those Who Kill?

William Shakespeare, considered to be and acknowledged as the most famous playwright of all time, wrote in his play, the very well known tragedy Romeo and Juliet, ‘’Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.’’ This is interpreted by most saying that having mercy on those who kill pardons those who kill because it makes them believe that they will be given mercy also. This brings up a very controversial topic: the death penalty. The death penalty, or capital punishment, is depriving the life of one who has violently taken the life or lives, of others. Punishment by death has basically been around forever as you can read from any history book. 67% of the U.S support the death penalty, while 28% do not, and the remaining are ambivalent.(Muhlhausen) The ones who do not support it want it to be abolished and call themselves abolitionists. (Marquis) They argue that the death penalty is morally wrong, cruel and unusual, and that is should be abolished. They are wrong. They have sympathy on the murderers and not the victims. …show more content…
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