What is the meaning of seven pounds in the movie of the same name?
‘Seven pounds’ – from the film of the same name – would seem to be a reference to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, in which Shylock demanded a ‘pound of flesh’ in payment of the loan to Antonio if he failed to pay the debt. Antonio had taken the terms in a moment of desperate wishful thinking, and when his ships foundered and he was ruined. Shylock demanded his ‘pound of flesh’ – citing Antonio’s heart as the warranty, which meant that Antonio must die. It seems to be a literal reference – the weight of any individual organ (heart, brain, etc) is not seven pounds. But… ‘Pound of flesh’ refers to an *onerous* debt, one that is either unable to be paid (but demanded), or one that is far in excess of the amount owed, or one in which the payment is set to adamantly exacting standards (Antonio’s lawyer before the Duke points out that the contract calls for a pound of flesh and if he takes one bit more (or any blood) he will be guilty of taking the life of a citizen. So this interpret
