"The quality of mercy is not strained;
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"
- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
The episode begins and ends with Don in the fetal position: a symbol of his regression and depression. When he is not lying down, Don continues to disappoint the women in his life: Sally refuses to come visit any more and wants to go away to boarding school; Megan sleeps alone; and Peggy considers him a monster because he brought to Ted's attention Ted's infatuation with Peggy and it's impact on the firm.
Don also broke his promise to Ted by calling Harry back to pursue the Sun Kist account. Don only changed his mind after seeing Peggy and Ted at the movie theater and when Ted touched her waist during the play acting of the St. Joseph baby commercial. Don became jealous of Ted's attraction to her.
What's interesting in this episode is the dual roles the characters play or how other character's mirror one another: we find out that Bob is also a fiction like Don, with a made up family and work history; Don watches Megan's dual role of the French blond maid on her television show. Sally is becoming the consummate liar like her father, when she tells Betty in the car that the reason she wants to go to boarding school is "to be an adult" as opposed to telling her the truth that her father is a adulterer. Don and Megan discuss Jackie Kennedy who became Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who with a name change became the wife to two different famous men. In the background we have on the TV set, Patty Duke, who played two roles as identical cousins on her name sake TV show.
Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice, is (among other things) about justice and revenge. In this episode, Ken shows mercy to Pete when he transfers the Chevy account after the hunting accident and Pete feigns reluctance to accept it. In reality, both are benefiting from the transaction and it is not "pure". Pete sort of shows mercy to Bob, when he finds out that Bob is a fraud, but we don't trust his motives. Don shows justice but not mercy to Ted (and Peggy) when he embarrassed him* during the client meeting with St. Joseph**. Byron, the executive from St. Joseph, shows mercy to SC&P, by increasing the ad budget after Don tells him it was the idea of Fred Gleason before he died. Only Glen and Sally show the true spirit of Shakespeare's quote, as giver and receiver both benefit without it being one sided for either one.
The current crop of death and accident references: Bataan Death March while hunting; Megan tells Don to "pull back on the throttle" a flying reference, which may signal an accident for Ted; references to the Kennedy's; Roll yells at Glen "are you suicidal?"; Ted asked Don to attend the meeting to provide for more "firepower"; Pete cleaning his rifle at the office.
* In Christianity, St. Joseph is the father of Jesus.
Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice, is (among other things) about justice and revenge. In this episode, Ken shows mercy to Pete when he transfers the Chevy account after the hunting accident and Pete feigns reluctance to accept it. In reality, both are benefiting from the transaction and it is not "pure". Pete sort of shows mercy to Bob, when he finds out that Bob is a fraud, but we don't trust his motives. Don shows justice but not mercy to Ted (and Peggy) when he embarrassed him* during the client meeting with St. Joseph**. Byron, the executive from St. Joseph, shows mercy to SC&P, by increasing the ad budget after Don tells him it was the idea of Fred Gleason before he died. Only Glen and Sally show the true spirit of Shakespeare's quote, as giver and receiver both benefit without it being one sided for either one.
The current crop of death and accident references: Bataan Death March while hunting; Megan tells Don to "pull back on the throttle" a flying reference, which may signal an accident for Ted; references to the Kennedy's; Roll yells at Glen "are you suicidal?"; Ted asked Don to attend the meeting to provide for more "firepower"; Pete cleaning his rifle at the office.
* In Christianity, St. Joseph is the father of Jesus.
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