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UNIT - I

JUSTICE

JOHN GALSWORTHY (1867-1933)

A biographical note on John Galsworthy.

John Galsworthy is one of the most gifted writers of modern England. His genius is versatile. He has written

novels, dramas, essays and stories. He understood the spirit of his age thoroughly well. He has brought to

bear upon the social problems of this age his humanitarian outlook. His sternness of mind has enabled him

to be realistic and objective. He has been influenced by Naturalism and Turgneve's realism. His maturity

into a perfect artist needs a biographical analysis. It is certain that he will be remembered for his plays such

as 'The Silver Box', 'Justice', 'Loyalties' etc.

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His Birth: John Galsworthy was born on 14 of August, 1867 in Kingston Hall in the county of Surrey. His

birthplace is renowned for natural scenery.

Congenial Conditions: His father was a wealthy London solicitor and property owner. He was brought up

in an atmosphere of perfect freedom; and conditions which were very favorable to free development of

mind. He had all amenities of life. His childhood was spent in pleasant surroundings. Hence, he had in his

later life sweet recollections of his childhood.

His Education: For four years he was educated at a private school in Bournemouth. From 1881 to 1886, he

was taught at the famous public school, Harrow. There he took part in games as well as passed studious

days. From Harrow he went to New College Oxford. There he studied for three years from 1886 to 1889. In

1889 he took a degree in law.

His Dislike for Legal Profession: He had been preparing himself for the profession of law. His father was an

eminent lawyer. He thought that would suit his son. But Galsworthy had deep disliking for the legal

profession. He thought that the work of a lawyer was uninteresting and demoralizing. All his life he could not

free himself from aversion to legal profession.

His Nomadic Nature: His nature was nomadic. He did not want to stay at home. He decided to undertake a

trio around the world. From 1891 to 1893 he kept moving across the world. It is during the tour period that he

was shaping his mental outlook on life. He saw the whole world. These three years were historically quite

important.

His meeting with Conrad: During his tours he had many experiences. Industrialization had struck its roots

into the economic life of various' countries. The problems of capital and labour, slum life, woman's slavery

and franchise were significant. On the ship "Torrents" sailing from Australia to Africa he met Joseph Conrad.

At that time the future novelist was a sailor and a writer in the making. The bond of friendship forged

between the two was broken by the death of Conrad in 1924. In literary aptitudes, the two were most

dissimilar, yet both understood each other thoroughly well.

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Pleasant Life with His Wife: He was simple and humanitarian. He used to play with the farmers. He loved

his wife. She was very helpful to him. He regularly dictated his correspondence to his wife. She used to type

out the material. He led a pleasant life in her company. They had no child. Both of them were fond of

journeys to continental countries or even African countries. Mrs. Galsworthy understood the writer

thoroughly well. Galsworthy in his turn respected her for her character. He also liked her intelligence and

keen insight. His admiration for the wife finds its best expression in the dedicatory words in "The Forsyte

Saga". His wife suffered from bronchial trouble. Every year, for her sake he used to leave England for some

other healthier place in summer.

His Humanitarian Nature: Galsworthy's nature was humanitarian. His plays, novels and stories are the

true pictures of the kindness of his heart. He was fond of animals. He loved his dog very much. It was his

constant companion. On a small writing table he had written the maxim, "I shall pass through the world but

once; any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to human beings, or dumb

animals, let me do it now." What he preached he practiced. There was no divergence between thought and

action, profession and practice. He was a silent humanist. His soul was full of agony to see that so much

misery and pain existed in the world. Born in a rich family, he had never faced pangs of poverty, but he had a

heart to understand hardships of poverty. In his plays we find realistic pictures of common poor persons.

His tolerant and accommodating Nature: His nature was tolerant and accommodating. He never used

harsh words or intolerant speech. When he was attacked and abused he maintained the balance of mind,

and returned sweet words for abuse, slander or condemnation. He hated scandal or rumours. He liked to

express sober and polite opinions of his friends. Even a little cruelty to the lower world (animals) could

arouse anger in him. To his servants and dependents, he was extremely kind and courteous. He kept

mental composure. He had serenity of nature. He followed the motto of Anatole France that excess is

always a bad thing.

His Love for Art and Music: He was a great lover of art and music. His drawing-room had rare paintings. In

music, he liked Bach and Gluck. Orpheus was his favourite song. He liked the composer Chopin. He did not

like Wagner. He was fond of operas also.

His Generous Nature: His generosity was only one of his many notable attributes. He was above all a

noble hearted man, and singularly free from those foibles of vanity which frequently accompany the

generous gestures made by small-hearted men. His lack of false pride can perhaps best be illustrated by

the fact that in 1918 he refused an offer of Knighthood, because in his own words, "Literature is its own

reward," and because he was afraid it would throw an unwelcome light on his philanthropy during the war

years, when his entire literary income had been diverted to war charities and other causes dear to his heart.

In 1921 he became the P.E.N. Club's first President. The ideas of a worldwide fraternity of poets,

playwrights, essayists and novelists made an immediate appeal to him and he worked devotedly as he

worked for every one of the many causes he .had at heart for its ideals for many years. When in 1932, he

was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature he declared that the prize money (some 9000 pounds) should

be devoted to a trust founded for the sole benefit of the P.E.N. He was too ill to attend the Nobel awards

ceremony, and died six weeks later of a stroke.

John Galsworthy lived for the final seven years of his life at Bury in West Sussex. He died from a brain tumor

at his London home, Grove Lodge, Hampstead. In accordance with his will he was cremated at Woking with

his ashes then being scattered over the South Downs from an aeroplane. The popularity of his fiction

waned quickly after his death but the hugely successful adaptation of The Forsyte Saga in 1967 renewed

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interest in his work

'JUSTICE'

MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY

JAMES HOW solicitor

WALTER HOW, his son solicitor

ROBERT COKESON their managing clerk

WILLIAM FALDER their junior clerk

RUTH HONEYWILL a married woman

SWEEDEL their office-boy

WISTER a detective

COWLEY a cashier

DR. JUSTICE FLOYD a judge

HAROLD CLEAVER an old advocate

HECTOR FROME a young advocate

CAPTAIN DASON, V.C. a prison governor

THE REV. HUGH MILLER a prison chaplain

EDWARD CLEMENTS a prison doctor

WOODER a chief warder

MOANEY, CLIPTON & O. CLEARY convicts

A NUMBER OF BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS, SPECTATORS, USHERS,

REPORTERS, JURYMEN, WARDERS, AND PRISONERS

Summary of Justice

The whole play is divided into four Acts -

1) ACT I -

2) ACT II -

3) ACTIII-

This Act is divided into three scenes -

a) Scene I

b) Scene II

c) Scene III

4) Act IV

DETAILED SUMMARY OF JUSTICE

ACT 1

INTRODUCTION:

Cokeson is the managing clerk of a solicitors' firm. Falder is a junior clerk working under him. The governors

of this firm are James How and his son Walter How. While Cokeson is adding up figures in a pass-book,

Sweedle, the office-boy informs him that a certain woman wants to see Falder. The name of this young

woman is Ruth Honeywill. She is a charming and attractive woman. Her husband troubles and tortures her

in many ways. She is fed up with him. Falder sympathizes with her for her sad lot. He falls in love with her.

He wants to run away with her to South America where he wishes to live with her as her husband. When

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Ruth says to Cokeson that she has come to see Falder because it is a question of life and death, he allows

her to see Falder.

The Meeting of Falder and Ruth: Falder comes into the room where Ruth is talking to Cokeson. The

managing clerk allows Falder to talk to her unwillingly. He goes to the partners room with a bundle of

papers. On meeting Falder Ruth tells him how her husband was drunk last night and how he tried to kill her.

She left the house at night. Falder tells her that he has bought the tickets. He further says that they will live

like husband and wife during their voyage. Now Ruth asks for more money, for fearing her husband, she

has left all those things at home which she had purchased for her journey.

When Falder hesitates, she expresses her readiness to leave him and to face difficulty alone. At this Falder

says that he loves her. He fixes the time and place for her meeting with him in the evening. Then they kiss

and embrace each other. Cokeson returns at this time. He sees them kissing each other. He warns them

against moral freedom in the pious premises of a lawyers' firm. He asks Falder to complete the work of

calculating left by the other clerk named Davis.

The Forgery: When the lunch hour comes, Falder gets a cheque for nine pounds. It is to be drawn on behalf

of Walter How. Davis gives the cheque to Falder to get it cashed. Now Falder needs money so he alters the

cheque and adds "zero" and "ty" to the original figures of the cheque. He gets the cheque cashed for ninety

pounds. In this way Falder committed forgery. The reward of this sin is to be his death. Meanwhile, Cokeson

asks some advice from the junior partner i.e. Walter regarding one case of lease and another of 'right of

way.' Walter does not give any good advice. He asks Cokeson to get it from his father James How. It is at this

time that James How enters the room with a pass-book in his hand. Now Cokeson goes to another room to

bring Boulter's lease to him so that he may draft the necessary instructions.

Detection of Forgery: James asks Walter How why the balance in the pass-book is below 400 pounds. He

had told him that it is above 400 pounds, but it is really 351 pounds. Both of them check the pass-book by

referring to all the cheques drawn by their firm. They discover how a cheque of 9 pounds has been altered

by someone. In place of 9 pounds a sum of 90 pounds has been drawn in the name of Walter How. Walter

says that he remembers to have passed it on to Davis. Then James How says that the counterfoil of the

cheque is also altered. This forgery upsets him because it is bound to cause damage to the good name of

the firm. The three persons conclude that the cheque was altered by Davis who altered it before his

departure for Australia. Now James How sends for the cashier. Meanwhile Ruth comes back to say

something to Falder but she is not allowed to meet him again.

The Confession: When Walter How returns with Cowley, James How calls Falder to show him to the

cashier. Cokeson requests James not to upset Falder who is a youngman, but James does not grant his

request. When Falder comes before Cowley, he is recognized by the cashier in no time Falder is also to

come with the papers of Boulter's lease. When Falder is recognized James asked him to wait. He is not

allowed to go for lunch also. Now James shows Falder the forged cheque and its counterfoil. Falder wants

to impress James that Davis must have altered the cheque before giving it to him for being cashed. At this

James tells him that its counterfoil was altered after Tuesday for the pass-book remained in Walter's pocket

up to Tuesday. It was, therefore, not possible for Davis to have altered the counterfoil after Tuesday. At this

Falder confesses that he has altered the cheque and its counterfoil. He pleads and requests to excuse him

for he has done it in a state of mad excitement. He is ready to return the money. James does not show

compassion. He asks Falder to wait for some time in his room.

Arrest of Falder: When Falder is gone, James tells his son and the head clerk how the offence of young

Falder is so serious that he cannot take any lenient view of the matter as advised by them. He has decided

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to get him prosecuted in the court of law. Walter requests his father to give him a chance, but James says

that Falder has committed a deliberate crime, so he must be punished. He must be imprisoned so that he

may not do any harm to other people. Cokeson also supports this viewpoint for he is for office discipline and

honesty in work. Walter How says to his father that Falder's future will be ruined by his imprisonment. In

response to a call detective or policeman named Wister comes in and arrests Falder. He takes Falder away.

ACT II

The Trial and Conviction of Falder: The First speech of Frome, the Defence Counsel: Falder alters the

cheque on 7th July and is discovered on 8th. He is arrested on the same day. He remains in prison for two

months. His trial takes place in the month of October. The trial court is full of barristers, solicitors, reporters

etc. Frome is the defence counsel. Cleaver is the counsel representing the Crown. James Walter, Cowley

and Wister have already given their evidence. Cleaver has also stated the case against Falder.

Now Frome rises to speak on behalf of Falder for the first time. He does not deny the fact of forgery

committed by Falder. He further says that Falder is a young man of 23 years. He has committed the crime in

one of his weak moments. He has altered the cheque in a moment of madness under the pressure of

circumstances. While committing this crime he was not really responsible for it due to the distressed state of

mind. He had fallen in love with a woman named Ruth whom he wanted to save from her cruel husband.

This miserable woman could not get a divorce from her husband. The only way for Falder to save her was to

take her to South America or some other land. This action would have been illegal and immoral; but there

was no other way out. They needed money to execute their plan of escape. Thus Falder altered the cheque

to get the needed money when he was possessed by a desperate impulse. While altering the cheque

Falder was not -sane. To prove this thing Frome produces the evidence of Cokeson and Ruth Honeywill.

The Evidence and Cross-examination of Cokeson: While giving his evidence, Cokeson says that he

has known Falder for the last two years. He is a nice and cultured man. There is no reason to suspect his

honesty. On the morning of 7th July he was rather unsettled in mind. He walked up and down the room. His

collar was not buttoned. When he asked Falder to button his collar, he stared at him with a peculiar funny

look in his eyes. On the 8th July Ruth came with her children just before the discovery of forgery was made.

He permitted her to meet him for she wanted to see him on "a matter of life and death" . After this the counsel

for the Crown Mr. Cleaver rises to cross-examine Cokeson. He demolishes Frome's plea that Falder was

not sane when he altered the cheque. He made Cokeson say that he did mean 'mad' by the word "funny'. He

accepts that on being asked Falder buttoned his collar.

He further says that Falder's usual habit is tidy. He is pleasantspoken youth who has impressed everybody

in the office favourably and well.

The Evidence and Cross-examination of Ruth Honey will: Ruth says that she is a married woman. She

has two children, but she does not live with her husband. She has not been living with her man for the last

two months or so. She further says that Falder is her lover. She is treated cruelly and brutally by her

husband. Falder wants to take her away to South America to save her from him. He was arrested on the

very day when both of them were to leave for South America at night. She remembers 7th July, for it was on

the morning of this day that her husband had almost strangled her to death. She managed to escape and to

reach Falder to tell him every thing. He said that he had no money to take her away. On the following day

Falder gave her some money for making the necessary purchases. He told her ~hat he had got the money

by luck. She saw him for the last time when he was arrested. On being questioned by the defense counsel

Ruth said she and Falder loved each other very much. The thought of her misery and danger disturbed the

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peace of his mind. She saw Falder very much upset on 8th July. She told Cleaver that he was not mad on

7th July. When the judge questioned her as to why she was unhappy in her life, she told him that she did not

disobey him nor did she displease him even when Falder had begun to love her.

The Cross Examination of Falder: In reply to some questions Falder tells Frome that he has been

knowing Ruth for the last six months. She is a married woman, but he loves her truly. She is treated by her

husband cruelly and in a brutal manner. On 7th July she came to him gasping for breath. She showed him

the marks of injury caused by her husband. This thing upset his mind so much that he thought that her

husband would torture her again. He saw no way to leave her. He came to the office with an excited or

agitated mind. When Davis gave him a cheque to be cashed, it struck his mind that he could draw some

money for helping Ruth by adding 'Zero' and 'ty' to the figure 9 and the word 'nine'. A momentary impulse

made him alter the cheque. He ran to the bank with the pass book. He had no sense of what he was doing in

haste. He came to his senses only when the cashier enquired of him if he would take notes. On his return he

wants to commit suicide, but he does not kill himself due to his love for Ruth. He took four minutes only in

running from the office to the bank. While cross-examining Falder, Cleaver points out that he remembers

how he ran but not how he altered the cheque by adding a 'zero' to the figure '9' and 'ty' to the word 'nine'. He

made this change so well that the cashier was deceived. It was after five days that he altered the counterfoil

also on Wednesday. He did so when he got a chance to do it. He knew that Davis would be suspected.

When the judge emphasized this point Frome tried to show that Falder made no attempt to implicate

innocent Davis. The judge did not accept Frome's argument in this respect. Then Cleaver said that Falder

returned nine pounds out of ninety without remembering that he had altered the cheque. Then Frome tried

to prove that Falder remembered nothing during the four minutes he ran to the bank.

Frome's Address to the Jury: While speaking to the members of the jury Frome said that he believed that

they conceived Falder had altered the cheque at a time of mental or moral weakness caused by a state of

emotional excitement. It was due to this temporary madness that Falder was not legally responsible for the

criminal action. He had not tried to invest the case with romantic glamour. Like every other young lover

Falder was upset by the cruelty and brutality shown to the woman he loved due to his weak and nervous

nature. This nervous state was shown byt he funny look in his eyes. Falder was, therefore, free from the

mental responsibility for his crime. Being weak and nervous he was to be treated not as a criminal but as a

patient. The forgery was the work of a few moments of Falder's madness. All things done later followed this

action. He lacked the strength of character and mind to confess the crime or to return the money. He was in

the grips of law. Ifhe was not treated as patient the machine of law would crush him to death. Being a weak

man Falder could not remain alive after his imprisonment. That he had already passed two months in prison

was a sufficient punishment for him.

Cleaver's Address to the Jury: While addressing the jury Cleaver set all of Frome's arguments at naught.

He demolished his plea of insanity also. He defeated his arguments based on romance and temptation. He

said that the defense counsel had taken the plea of temporary madness only because he did not want to

appeal for mercy. By bringing in a woman he had thrown over the whole case a colouring of romance and

youth. The argument of short-lived madness could not stand upon its legs. Like Cokeson Ruth had said that

in spite of his being upset Falder was not mad. He remembered the words of Davis. Cowley had said that he

was in his senses when he took the money from him. It was foolish to say that he was mad at the time of

altering the cheque. He tried to throw suspicion on innocent Davis, so his crime was serious. His relation

with a married woman was also illegal. Therefore, the jurors would declare him guilty. At this, Frome

appeals to the judge for mercy. On being questioned Falder says that he does not want to say anything else.

The Judgment: Like the jurors, the judge says that Falder is guilty of forgery. Rejecting the plea of

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madness he said that the defense counsel has been making an appeal for mercy only. The judge is mindful

of the seriousness of the crime. By deliberately altering the cheque Falder has allowed the suspicion on

innocent Davis also. The judge accepts that Falder is young and that his character is good. He admits that

Falder must have passed through some emotional excitement at the time of committing the crime. Falder

was an assistant clerk in the office of a solicitors' firm, so he must have known the nature of his crime. He

was carried by these emotions only which were caused by an immoral love for a married woman. Though

his relations with this woman were not practically immoral, yet he had an immoral design in the mind. As this

case is based on social immorality, so the judge rejected the plea of mercy also. The law was a majestic

edifice which was to give protection to all the members of the society. Therefore, it was the duty of a jUdge

like him to administer the law properly and well. He could not show any mercy to a man like Falder, for he

was for the protection of society from further harm. Then the judge sentenced Falder to serve a term of three

years in the prison house. When Falder heard this judgment, he became desperate. Ruth was filled with

grief. In the end the judge asked the press reporters not to disclose the name of Ruth. Ruth did not care. The

judge called for another case, for he wanted to sit and work rather late.

ACT-III

Scene - 1

Discontent among the Prisoners: It is 24th December. After a short period of confinement Falder has

been put in a solitary cell for a month. He is to see no visitor now. He has already passed two months in

solitary lock-up during the days of his trial.

There is some discontent among the prisoners. Wooder who is the chief warden, has discovered a small

hand-made saw from Moaney who has almost cut his window's bar with it. He has come to the ¬prison four

times. He has made the saw to keep his mind busy. Wooder tells the governor of the prison that there is a

general unrest among all the prisoners even when each of them is confined to a separate cell. 0' Cleary is

another prisoner who is a lover of noise and sport. He bangs the door and thus upsets all other prisoners. It

is at this time that the prison chaplain named Miller comes in. The governor is filled with surprise at the

growing discontent. He wants to know the real mental condition of the prisoners. Miller is quite indifferent

and he does not care for any of the prisoners. He wants to break the perverted will of these prisoners. The

governor who is sorry at the condition of these prisoners invites the chaplain to a dinner on the Christmas

day. The chief warden i.e. Wooder informs the governor how an old man wants to see him.

The Meeting of Cokeson with the Prison Governor: Cokeson says to the governor that he has come to

talk about a young prisoner whose name is Falder. He is not related to him but he is interested in him. The

prisoner has been an assistant clerk under him. He is employed in a famous solicitors' firm in which he

himself is the managing clerk. He has come to comply with the request of Falder's sister whose husband

does not allow her to come here. He has come to enquire about Falder. At this the governor says to him that

nobody is allowed to see Falder, for he is in his solitary cell. Cokeson remembers how this solitary

confinement has been harmful to Falder during the days before his trial. He is very much pained when he

hears that Falder is confined to a solitary cell. When he went to see him during his under trial confinement,

the young man wept bitterly. Miller, who is the prison Chaplain, does not see eye to eye with Cokeson who

thinks that the solitary confinement is a very harmful and useless thing. When Cokeson wants to know

about Falder's health, the governor sends for the prison doctor. Meanwhile Cokeson tells the governor how

Falder is in love with a woman named Ruth whose husband treats her cruelly. He refers to her sense of self

respect and says that she will be waiting for him till he is released from prison.

Cokeson further says that the solitary confinement of a prisoner does no good to him. He will not confine a

dog in a cell even when it bites him all over the body. Miller differs from him in this respect. When Cokeson

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thinks of the weak nature of Falder, he fears lest the solitary confinement must do him a great harm. By this

time the prison doctor comes in and tells Cokeson that Falder is quite healthy. He has not lost his weight.

The solitary confinement has done him little harm. His mind is sound, but he remains melancholy and sad.

At this the governor promises that he will take due care of Falder's health. Cokeson tells him that there is

none to understand the great mental suffering to which Falder is being subjected in his solitary cell. When

Cokeson asks the governor whether Ruth can see Falder, he is told that the prison rules do not allow any

visitor to come in and see a convict when he is in his solitary confinement. On hearing this reply Cokeson

returns home with a sad heart.

Scene - II

Failure of Falder in Work: The solitary confinement does a great harm to the mind of young Falder. The

instructor gives work to him but he fails to do his share of work. But there is another prisoner named 0'

Cleary who wants to get more work to do so that his mind may remain occupied. On this the governor hears

them and passes on.

Moaney and the Prison Life: Moaney is an old prisoner of fiftysix years in age. He has fiercely staring eyes

and prickly ears. He is found lying on bed. When the governor comes to see him, he leaves his bed and

stands at the door. The governor shows him the saw which he had made and with which he has almost

completely cut the bar of the window. Moaney tells him in reply that he has made the saw only to pass his

time. He is to be released in a year or two. He does not want to insult himself by seeking a job after his

release and he gets rejected as an ex-convict. He knows that he will be given some punishment for making

the saw and for cutting the bar with it. He is to blame the governor for his punishment. At this the governor

offers to overlook the offence on the condition that he promises not to do the same things in future. Moaney

thanks the governor for his offer and tells the governor frankly that he will do it again for he cannot help doing

something interesting. The governor fails to convince him that such things are useless. The governor

orders two days cell together with bread and water. Moaney thanks him and slips into his cell like an animal.

The Effect of Prison Life on Clipton and O' Cleary: Clipton is an old prisoner suffering from some eye-

trouble. He cannot face light nor is he able to hear any noise. The eye-trouble is not painful, for there is no

light in his cell. He complains that the prisoner in the adjoining cell bangs the door and disturbs him in his

sleep with a great noise. Sleep is the only comfort for him in the prison. He has the right to sleep to his full

satisfaction. The governor promises that he will no longer be disturbed in his sleep. After this he goes ahead

to see 0' Cleary who is fond of noise and play. He sits near the door to hear some sound. He is the person

who bangs his door in the morning. When the door is opened he stands in the doorway. On being

questioned 0' Cleary says that he cannot resist the impulse of making a noise. He is incapable of remaining

silent. The work of weaving a mat does not interest him in anyway. At this the governor says that he will have

to keep quiet even if he is sent to the workshop to do hard work there. 0' Cleary says that the noise produced

by his working hand will also be a kind of talk for him. The governor is pleased to hear this thing. He asks 0'

Cleary not to satisfy his desire for noise by banging the door in the morning. The governor sends Wooder to

bring doctor and proceeds to see Falder's condition.

The Meeting of the Governor with Falder: The governor gets to the door of Falder's cell. This thing

surprises the young prisoner. The governor asks him to adjust himself to the conditions of the prison life. He

should never knock his head against the wall in a nervous state of mind. Falder tells him that he cannot

sleep. His fear that he would never come out this fear makes the governor sad at heart. He asks the young

prisoner to make his mind strong and tells him that it depends on him if he is to come into the prison again or

not. Falder says that he cannot read books. He is unable to forget Ruth of whom he is always thinking. Now

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the doctor comes and examines Falder. Meanwhile Wooder tells the governor that perhaps the doctor will

report that Falder is quite healthy. Though he is nervous, the solitary confinement is not doing him any

harm. He does not want to recommend his transfer to the workshop for he will have to do so in the-case of

other prisoners also. The doctor fears that Falder is a patient of melancholy. Thus Falder is forced to pass

the last week of his solitary confinement.

Scene - III

It is the late afternoon and the daylight is fading. Falder is seen in his cell. The floor of this cell is made of

black bricks. His beddings are lying in a corner. There are many books on the shelf. There is a novel entitled

'Lorna Donne" lying open on a table. He is engaged in making button holes in the shirt. The whole scene

shows how Falder is suffering from mental agony. There is no dialogue in the present scene, but it

influences the spectators very much.

Falder looks weak and serious. He is not mad, but he is a little sort of an image of despair. He is hungry to

hear something. He sits close to the door to do so. He listens at the door. When he hears even a little sound,

he springs up on his feet. He walks in his cell and looks like an animal in the cage. While walking he moves

his finger on a line of the wall. He tries to get the company of his own face by looking into the bright lid of a tin.

He is surprised to hear the sound of this lid when it falls down on the floor. He pants and gasps. He hears the

sound of some banging on the floor. It frightens him. The banging sound passes from one cell to another. It

makes his weak brain lose its strength. He moves his hand in a kind of some unconscious reaction. At last

he begins to beat the door h:mself.

ACT IV

Falder is sentenced for three years but due to his good conduct he is released only after two years. It is

because of prison rules that he gets partial remission of his sentence. He has worked at two places after his

release. He had to leave each of these two jobs. It is in the month of March that he comes to meet Cokeson.

He had already met Ruth once in the Hyde Park. Ruth comes first to request Cokeson to get Falder

employed again. Falder follows her and meets Cokeson to make a request to him for his recommendation

to the partners.

The Meeting of Ruth with Cokeson: When Ruth comes to the office where Cokeson works, she happens

to meet Sweedle first. He asks her to tell him about Falder. After this he says that the partners-James and

Walter How made a mistake in getting Falder convicted and imprisoned. By this time Cokeson comes and

shows great sympathy to Ruth. She tells him that she has lived with her children only. She has not stayed

with her husband. She has met Falder only once after his release from the prison. She further tells Cokeson

that Falder has become very weak. He has stuck to a job only for three weeks. At this Ruth says that she

cannot work. She relates the story of her past sufferings and troubles. After Falder's conviction she started

to earn money by making shirts, but she could not support her children with it. When she could not meet

even the expenses of her children, she had to sell her body to the employer. When Ruth requested Cokeson

to secure employment for Falder again, he promised to recommend his case to the partners. She told that

Falder waited for him downstairs, but he refused to see him at that time. Cokeson told Ruth how a post had

fallen vacant in the office, but James How alone could reemploy him. He noted the address where Falder

lived and bade her good morning. Cokeson asked Sweedle to be polite when Falder came in. He said that

the decision to appoint was to be taken by the senior partner of the firm. When Falder came in, Cokeson

was puzzled. After this he welcomed him.

Falder's Appeal to Cokeson for Reemployment: When Falder prayed for chance, Cokeson said that he

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had promised to Ruth to recommend his case to the partners. Then Falder told him the solitary confinement

had done a great harm to his head. He felt that his heart was empty. The prison authorities had passed him

sound but they could not measure the loss they had caused to his inner self. After this Falder spoke of his

miserable life which he had led after his release from the prison. The prison authorities secured him a job

but he had to leave it after the discovery of his being ex-criminal. He secured another job by forging

reference. He left it soon for he feared lest his forgery should be detected.

Falder further told Cokeson that he was struggling against the invisible force of all powerful society. It

gripped him all around. He felt as if he were in a net. Everybody seemed to be sorry for him but nobody

wanted to mix in his company. They feared that he was a criminal. He felt as if some force of evil were

closing round him. This feeling was going to crush him. He had suffered much more than he had deserved.

His sister's husband had also meted out a very had treatment to him. He expelled him from his house and

offered twentyfive pounds so that he might go to Canada. Cokeson also made the same offer for which

Falder thanked him. He further said that he had passed three nights in the Hyde Park. His love for Ruth was

a pious thing, but even then he had suffered much for this crime of his pious love. Consoling Falder,

Cokeson promised to talk to the partners of the firm to reemploy him. It was at this time that Walter How and

his father James How entered the office. James had a keen look at Falder, but Walter How shook his hand

with him. Then Cokeson asked Falder to retire into the clerk's room so that he might talk to the partners.

Cokeson's Appeal for Reemployment: Cokeson requests James to reemploy Falder. He made a sincere

appeal to him. He said that Falder was repentant for his past forgery. He was starving also. He should,

therefore, fill the vacancy of a clerk in the office by appointing him again. James is unwilling to employ him

for he is now ex-convict. At this Walter says that Frome has said correctly that Falder would be crushed by

the wheels of Law and Justice. Falder had not stuck to his previous jobs. At this James remarked that being

a young man of weak character, Falder could not do much good to himself. Walter How said that poor

Falder should be helped. Then James asked about his relationship with Ruth also. Cokeson said that Ruth

did not live with her husband. She had visited office in the morning. She had seen young Falder also. When

James said to Cokeson that Falder should give up his love for Ruth if he wanted to be employed in the office

again, Cokeson called him so that James might speak to him.

The Advice of James for Falder: Advising Falder, James said that he was punished due to his own breach

of social morality. At this young Falder told him that he had already thought over the matter deeply and long

in the prison. If a criminal like him were treated kindly and well by someone, he would be a better citizen. He

should never be made a bird of prison house. But James did not possess any faith in goodness of human

nature. Falder said that he did not mean to do what he had done. He was not what he seemed to be. At this

James asked him to forget the past and mind the future. He should leave Ruth also. In reply Falder told him

that Ruth was all he had. He was the only person from whom she hoped to get some help. They had met

each other last evening only. James said that he could employ him only if he left her. At this Falder said that

each of them could not leave the other. James further said he could overlook the relationship only if he could

marry her after getting a divorce. Falder said that the law did not permit her a divorce. With the permission of

James, Falder called Ruth from the window. Cokeson said that she had misbehaved so she could not get a

divorce from the court of law. On returning from window Falder suspected something from their changed

looks. He said that each of them lived quite separately from the other.

Ruth's Interview with James: When Ruth came before him James asked her to leave Falder for the sake

of his employment in the office. Ruth could not decide what to do. When Falder said that Walter had

promised to help her in getting the divorce, James spoke of its impossibility. Now Ruth said to James that

she was anxious to take care of Falder, for she loved him. At this James said that she could take the best

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care only by leaving him alone, Falder was surprised to hear it, so he said that he could not leave her. Ruth

assured James that she had never lived with Falder. Being a clever man James made her say that she had

led an immoral life in the past. At this she agreed to leave Falder. Now Falder realized that Ruth had become

a corrupt woman. He began to tremble with the agony of his mind. In response to a stirring appeal from

Walter, James agreed to reappoint Falder who was now very much grieved at the discovery of Ruth's

immorality. He covered his face in despair. It was at this time that Cokeson sends the two lovers into the

clerk's room for Wister has come up to arrest Falder again.

The Tragic Death of Falder: Wister wanted to know the whereabouts of Falder whom he had arrested in

the office. Cokeson and James tried to get rid of the detective but in vain. The detective informed both of

them how he had failed to report himself to the police and how he had obtained some job by submitting false

or forged certificates and testimonials. He was now a wanted man. Cokeson asked him to visit the office

again. James tried to avoid Wister. On seeing Falder's hat on the table Wister said that James wanted to

hide a criminal. The detective rises as if to leave the office, but he suddenly went into the clerk's room and

arrested Falder there. When he came out Falder laughed desperately. He threw a glance at Ruth also.

While dragging Wister down the stairs Falder threw himself down and broke his neck. He passed away

soon. Sweedle and Wister brought the dead body into the room by this time Ruth had fainted for a while. All

the people stood near the dead body. She wept bitterly. Cokeson tried to console her. He said in a pathetic

voice. "No one will touch him now! Never again! He is safe with gentle Jesus!" Then he raised his hand as if

he showed his sympathy for poor Ruth.

Important Explanations:

1. This rolling of the chariot wheels of. would not give that for him.

Reference: These lines have been taken from the play 'Justice' written by John Galsworthy, a renowned

problem playwright in English literature.

Context: These lines have been spoken by Mr. Frome, the defence lawyer of William Falder. He says that

law is just like a wheel. When someone gives it a push it moves on for a long period, sometimes, forever. It

means if a person once is caught in the clutches of law he suffers for ever.

Explanation: Finalising the arguments for defence, Mr. Frome said that Falder had already been crushed

or trampled under the heavy chariot-wheels of Justice. He gives the example of Falder. The moment

Falder's employers took the decision to have Falder arrested by the police, he fell under the clutches of

ruthless wheels of the chariot of law. Pending the trial of his case by the court, Falder had also to undergo

the first stage of the cursing process of the cruel law while he had suffered two months' severed and

rigorous imprisonment. -

2. He claimed that ………………………………. process of criminality

Context: These lines form a portion of the summing up by the judge after the Defence and Prosecution

Counsels had finalised their arguments for and against Falder, the offender, in Glasworthy's Tragedy

Explanation: Here the Judge sums up the arguments for defence and tells Falder that-his counsel

proposed that he was worthy and quite deserving to be treated as a patient who is to be handled carefully

with love and affection, and that he was worthy to be sent to some lunatic asylum rather than be treated as a

criminal.

The Defence Counsel argued that Falder committed the crime of forgery in a fit of temporary insanity and so

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he was not answerable to his actions. His defence was nothing except a plea for mercy. Mr. Frome also

made false allegations that the judicial procedure of England was a soulless mechanical process which

instead of purging the society of the ,stain (blot) of sin and crime developed the process of criminality. The

Defence Counsel further alleged that an innocent or casual offender like Flader was made a definite

criminal under the faulty and cruel process of court trial and subsequent punishment by way of hissol,itary

confinement. He alleged that the complete structure of law and the judiciary was unjLJstifiabl~~rather

highly condemnable.

Context: In these lines the judge defends the law. When Mr. Frome, the defence lawyer of Falder, points

out the shortcomings and defects in law, the judge says that it is not like that and law has so many

advantages and we should have faith in it.

Explanation: Here the Judge defends the law in England declaring it as the most advantageous or useful

institution. He says that law is a massive judicial system, which is framed to provide shelter or refuge to all

those who seek its help and, patronage. It is like a splendid palace to accommodate the needy and afflicted

ones.

The Judge further defends the law stating that the legal process is based on logic and morality and affords

full protection to individuals as -also to society. Finally, he says that it was his legal binding to interpret the

provisions of law in right earnest, dispassionately and impartially to all those who stood in need thereof.

4. I am thinking ………………..against the wall.

Context: These lines are an extract from the conversation between Cokeson and the Governor of Prison,

where Falder is kept in a solitary cell. Mr. Cokeson had called on the Governor to meet Falder but he could

not do so under the law. However, he conveyed his feelings and anxiety for Falder to the Governor.

Explanation: Here, Mr. Cokeson explains to the Governor in detail the true mental state and psychology of

Falder, who was confined in a solitary cell of the prison. He says that he had a thorough acquaintance and

knowledge of the spirit and feelings of Falder. He fully understood Falder's nature and that the latter would

not be able to maintain his mental equilibrium in solitary confinement. He was much anxious about Falder's

future and welfare. Falder had no human company in the cell. During the trial period when Falder was

confined to the lonely prison cell, he had told him that he was going to be a mad man in the prevailing

atmosphere. He almost felt several times to strike his head against the wall and commit suicide. Cokeson

had a deep concern for a nervous fellow like Falder and his future, which appeared totally dismal and dark

after imprisonment.

5. It is easy enough ……………a bit over.

Context: These lines are a part of the long dialogue between Cokeson and Falder when Falder

approached cokeson for reappointment in the firm. At this stage, Falder felt fully dejected as he was under

the spell of fear psychosis.

Explanation: Mr. Cokeson advises Falder to forget all the suffering that he underwent in prison and that he

should not relate to him the bitter experiences of jail life and think over to glorify his future. Upon this, Falder

replies that it would have been easier had he been quite free and independent. But under the hard, trying

and adverse situations he was in, it was very difficult to forget the sad and unique episode of encashing the

cheque and its bitter results. Law awards punishment to the convicts according to their offences or crimes

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which are proven in law courts but the penalty imposed upon them is much heavier than the actual offence

committed by them. They did not really deserve them. Falder felt that the punishment he got was more than

what he deserved against his crime.

6. It is no good…………..the better.

Context: These lines contain the 'two things' Mr. James, the Solicitor, said to Falder while making him the

offer of reappointment in his office.

Explanation: After constant repetition by Falder that he was more sinned against than sinning and that he

was unjustly punished for more than his actual crime, James tries to console him with the advice to have

peace of mind. First, James warns and suggests to Falder that it was futile and nonsense to think that he

was victimised by the society unnecessarily. Secondly, James advises Falder to stop complaining against

the society and judge the situation in a dispassionate manner. He tells him clearly that whosoever

dishonors the prescribed norms of society, viz., honesty, integrity and morality, can hardly escape

punishment. Society h8j' to keep itself alert and safe against all offenders and criminals by inflicting upon

them the penalty as laid down under law. If society does not do so, it cannot survive. James advises Falder

to bear in mind the fundamental facts of social life and its norms.

7. There were ………………got there.

Context: In reply to the two suggestions made by Mr. James to Falder, while offering him reappointment in

office, Falder expressed his own reaction thereon. These lines contain Falder's views on the basis of his

personal experiences in prison for reforming the casual offenders.

Explanation: On the strength of his own bitter experiences, Falder states that most of the convicts are

compelled to turn into criminals by certain malignant and inhuman social forces. Falder reiterates his

version that if such casual offenders are treated with sympathetic consideration on grounds of humanity,

civility and morality and put under those supervisors, who understand their problems humanly and

impartially, particularly in respect of those who commit crime of a casual nature for the first time in some

grave situations, then at least three-fourths of them could have been saved from a serious catastrophe and

come out of prison as good citizens of society. But as they were compelled to undergo severe imprisonment

including solitary confinement, they are converted into confirmed and incorrigible criminals; this not only

ruins them individually but also turns them into great terror to the society as a whole.

Context: During his plea for defence, Mr. Frome, openly attacks the faulty legal system of trial and penalty.

When an unconfirmed and casual prisoner is considered as a confirmed criminal by birth and breeding, he

would never be quite normal after the term of his imprisonment. Unfortunately, gentle and innocent men like

Falder are forced to commit such ordinary crimes under some adverse circumstances beyond their powers,

and become confirmed criminals, when they have to face the corrupting, vitiating, demoralizing,

uncongenial and polluted atmosphere of the prisons.

Explanation: Mr. Frome, the Defence Counsel, argues against the existing defective legal system being

inhuman and atrocious,which crushes ordinary convicts like Falder and demoralizes them to an

inexplicable extent. It is a ruthless mechanical prC?cess which once it goes against someone, or gets

someone within its grip, cannot observe any leniency towards him. This mechanical process, if once

started, will continue endlessly and automatically without any consideration of human compassion, natural

justice and morality. A person once enmeshed in the complicated network of legal system, is bound to suffer

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without any chance of escape from its clutches. The legal system is like a very complicated web, a black

hole, wherein once a man is caught, he can hardly escape.

Unfortunately, Falder was confined to the iron cage of law in a moment of overwhelming fit of momentary

insanity and then the law took him within its grip as it usually happens in case of other such offenders when

they commit the first offence of a casual nature. Once Falder was a victim of sudden temptation much

against his intention in a moment of weakness and temporary mental imbalance, there was no escape for

him to be extricated out of the grip of the hard mechanical process of the legal system.

9. Is he to become a member …………………but who will come back?

Context: In these lines, Mr. Frome, Defence Counsel, defends Falder by saying that Falder should be

given a chance otherwise a young man's future will be destroyed. If such a fellow was confined to the dark

cell of prison no honourable return would be possible throughout his life,

Explanation: Mr. Frome, Defence Counsel, tells the Court that Falder, a young man of 24, had so far an

unblemished record to his credit in his life and career. As such, he would lead a normal life with grace and

dignity provided he gets a kind and sympathetic treatment for his offence. 'So he should not be forced under

the existing legal machinery to join as one of the unlucky inmates of the prison, Le., he should not be

confined to prison like other confirmed and habitual criminals. The prisons are like dark and ominous

(cursed) ships which carry the inmates to life imprisonment wherefrom a graceful and dignified return is

impossible. That is, such convicts can have no 'change to become civilised members of society again.

Falder is an emotional young man, who has drifted a little away from the path of law due to human sympathy

he had shown to his young and married beloved in great trouble, rather danger to her life. Such a generous

young man can be easily brought back to the path of honour and gentle behaviour if 8' little compassion and

sympathy is shown to him at this stage.

Mr. Frome questioned if such a- fellow was confined to the dark cell of prison from where no honourable

return was possible throughout his life, was he not to be given by the court- a second chance to prove

himself as a law-abiding member of the society?

10. I urge you, gentlemen, do not ruin ……………… I affirm to you that he will be lost.

Context: In these lines, Mr. Frome, Defence Counsel, requests the judge and the jury to have a

sympathetic attitude towards Falder. He makes a passionate appeal to the Court not to sentence Falder to

imprisonment since it would ruin his life perpetually.

Explanation: Mr. Frome appeals to the Judge and the Jury to be considerate and compassionate towards

Falder. He makes an entreaty to them not to ruin such an affectionate, sincere, loyal and sentimental youth

for only an emotional weakness of which he had become a victim due to his grave dejection in which he had

lost his mental equilibrium momentarily. He committed the offence in an emotional state which lasted just

for four minutes of overpowering sentimental distress" amounting to temporary insanity. He was now

threatened with total or complete ruination of his life. Yet he could be protected from that impending tragedy

if a little humanitarian, sympathetic and magnanimous consideration is shown to him.

His death was sure and certain in case he was to be sentenced to imprisonment as that would be attended

with all sorts of physical hardships, and mental torture which he may not be able to withstand.

11. Men like the prisoner are destroyed ……………….and brand him forever.

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Context: During his plea for defence, Mr. Frome, openly attacks the faulty legal system of trial and penalty.

When an unconfirmed and casual prisoner is considered as a confirmed criminal by birth and breeding, he

would never be quite-normal after the term of his imprisonment. Unfortunately, gentle and innocent men

like Falder are forced to commit such ordinary crimes under some adverse circumstances beyond their

powers, and become confirmed criminals, when they have to face the corrupting, vitiating, demoralizing,

uncongenial and polluted atmosphere of the prisons.

Explanation: Here Mr. Frome exposes the hollowness, vicious and intolerable atmosphere prevailing in

the prisons, leading to create a demoralising effect upon the ordinary, innocent criminals like Falder.

Imprisonment is a cruel and atrocious process and turns even a casual suspect into a criminal. It does not

regard a person as a human being, who can be easily reformed provided he is treated as a patient rather

than as a criminal. But this broad and generous outlook and human approach is sadly wanting in our legal

machinery. A man caught in the wheels of law is bound to be shattered and crushed into pieces. Mr. Frome

states that Falder was an inexperienced and emotional young man, who had been held under the wheels of

the legal machinery and was as such sure to be crushed into powder. His only weakness was that, being an

emotional youth, he could not resist his temptation towards commission of crime which was nothing but an

outcome of his sentimental weakness to help a young married lady in distress at the hands of her cruel

husband. Is he a deserving convict to be crushed under cruel and atrocious legal machinery for his

temporary sentimental weakness, tan amounting to a momentary fit of mental lunacy or deranged state of

mind?

12. He has neither the face, …………………..ten times heavier already.

Context: In his plea for defence, Mr. From says Falder is too gentle, young and delicate to tolerate, such

kind of punishment. He says that Falder has already suffered a lot so, now he should be forgiven.

Explanation: Mr. Frome says that Falder is a gentle-looking, affectionate and a sentimental young man.

He is so tender and emotional that he cannot not be expected to tolerate the stigma of a criminal and the

atrocities of the prison life. The hard terms of imprisonment would completely devastate him to an

indescribable extent. In case we start measuring or comparing his crime and the severe hardships of a

terrible nature already undergone by him, the scale of sufferings would be ten times heavier. It is because

the poor fellow has already remained confined in the prison during the trial of the case.

JUSTICE (IMPORTANT TEXTUAL QUESTIONS)

Q.1. Discuss Galsworthy as a dramatist.

Ans. Galsworthy as a Dramatist: The 20th century has the credit of considering Galsworthy as the most

eminent literary personality. He made a positive contribution to English literature. His plays are

worth studying, being instructive. He had adopted "Naturalistic technique'. Galsworthy desired to

produce, both upon the stage and in his books, the natural spectacle of life, presented with

detachment. As a dramatist his art is full of realism and romance. According to Miss Storm James,

"Galsworthy is not original but he is merely faithful to life. Galsworthy does not create life, yet he

interprets it faithfully. He is not inspired but thoughtful, not imaginative but truthful".

His Place in British Drama: According to J.L. Roy, "His place in drama is well secured because he is one of

the very few serious dramatists who enjoy a nationwide popularity." For him a serious drama is always a

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comment on life.... a universal struggle is summed up in the fight between two men. In every age there is a

striking chord in every lover as we find in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and others. Hamlet-like actors,

who think and procrastinate, exist in every age and society. Galsworthy's characters are enduring and rare

with great contribution towards elevation of social life in the upper middle classes of England during the

19th and 20th centuries. His characters are real even if they are not actually existing although he may be

lacking in the brilliant epigrams of Wilde, paradoxes of Shavian wit and Maugham-like penetration of

personality.

Characterization: Character is the most important element of his dramatic device. He says, "If we take

care of character, action and dialogue will take care of themselves." His characters are living human

beings, sharing joys and sorrows like all other human beings of daily life.

Galsworthy's characters never change in their attitude with the change in events. They continue in their

nature just the same from beginning up to the end. They are part and parcel of the play and do not lead a life

aloof of their part from the play with which they are integrally related. They perform certain. functions.

His characters are the types who stand for certain principles. They are not individuals. Galsworthy's

characters keep subdued emotions in them. Anthony represents Capital, Robert represents labour and

Falder as a clerk represents the ordinary lower middle class of the society.

Dialogues: Galsworthy's dialogues are ordinary, interesting and instructive conversation, which skillfully,

artistically and ultimately lead to the development of both plot and character. They are quite witty, sharp,

straight and penetrating. To him, a good dialogue is the stepping stone to continuation of stimulating

interest and excitement. The art of writing true dramatic dialogues is an austere art denying itself all

licenses, grading every sentence devoted to the mere machinery of the play, suppressing all the jokes and

epigrams severed from character, relying for merriment and pathos on the fun and tears of life. From start to

finish, a good dialogue is like hand-made good lace, clear of fine texture furthering with each thread, the

harmony and strength of a design to which it must be subordinated.

Plot: To Galsworthy, plot is second and character is the first while Aristotle made plot more important than

character. He says, "The dramatist who hangs his characters to his plot instead of hanging his plots to his

characters, is guilty of cardinal sin." A good plot is sure edifice which slowly rises out of the interplay of

circumstances on temperament and vice versa within the prevalent atmosphere.

Every theme of Galsworthy gives some social message to which every incident contributes. The plot is

based on ideas related to the theme of the play. Thus the play Justice dwells on the abuses of the English

judicial system and tyranny perpetrated upon the criminals confined in solitary confinement.

Strife depicts conflict between Capital and Labour and the sufferings of the workers. The Silver Box shows

distinction between different laws, framed for the rich and the poor separately. Each plot depicts the

particular incident, situation or condition. In Loyalities, it is the theft of a thousand pounds which is the main

theme of the play. The plot develops, resulting in the reaction of different characters to the doubt or

suspicion that arose in De Levis' mind as regards insinuation of Dancy, branding him as a thief. In Justice,

the alterations in cheque made by Falder change his luck to the unthinkable doom. The plot starts with

exposition, mounting up to the climax through a leading crisis, eventually leading to the inevitable

catastrophe. Suspense continues throughout, as in Strife we find the state of suspense due to stiff and

resolute attitude of Antony and Roberts.The plots are quite appealing, appropriate, simple and

straightforward. They are real and natural. The situation is unfolded (disclosed) quite beautifully, creating

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every effect on character. There are no sub-plots.

Themes (Subject-Matter): Galsworthy always deals with social problems that generally arise in society.

He deals in his dramas with the domestic and social problems that do generally arise in every home and

society in every age, clime and country. "The conflicts, inequalities and inequities of man-made laws and

systems that exist in society are revolted by him with vehemence and arrogance. Each play of Galsworthy

deals with some social, economic, political or legal problem. Galsworthy did not believe in giving

entertainment to mankind through drama as he knew that a man's life is beset with manifold problems and

the function of the dramas should be to hold a mirror to life. It is incumbent upon a dramatist to present

different aspects of various problems quite intuitively and impartially.

Galsworthy's Realism: Galsworthy is a very minute and delicate realist. In Loyalties through the mouth of

Conveyance, he clearly warns De Levis, "Once an accusation like this passes beyond these walls, none

can foresee the consequences. If you persist in this absurd accusation, you will both of you / go out of this

room, dead in the eyes of society, you for bringing it, he for being the object of it." Again he says, "This is a

private house Mr. Levis and something is due to our host and to the esprit de corps that exists among

gentlemen." All these versions are based upon reality. In Fraternity the sense of smell of hatred in upper

class restricts it from having a human approach towards the lower one and as such the acts of philanthropy

are kept much remote. But the manner in which individuals react to this element is differentiated subtly. The

dramatist relieves the effects of detail by giving its symbolic meaning, spiritual and social, beyond the fact

itself. Galsworthy lays emphasis upon spiritual penetration and proceeds to clarify that various 'Properties'

of characters serve to suggest or distinguish qualities of attitudes too delicate for phrasing. "Realism' is the

most appealing aspect of Galsworthy which underlies all hip novels and dramas.

His Pessimism: Galsworthy's views on life are full of pessimism. He feels every inadequacy of man to his

situation and environs which he generally concludes despite placing heroic and ideal examples. Society is

nothing but a morass in which humanity sinks or stoops down to the lowest ebb. He is just the opposite to

the views of H.G. Wells, who believed in the hopefulness of improvement of relations between man and his

environment. But Galsworthy feels that man can never reconcile himself to the adverse circumstances

confronting him. He is, thus, pessimistic through and through.

Q.2. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM PLAYS OF GALSWORTHY?

OR

'PROBLEM PLAYS OF GALSWORTHY ARE OF ABIDING IN~EREST'. DISCUSS.

Ans. According to A. Nicoll, " In 'Justice' we feel the waste implied by Falder's suicide and the same spirit

is trenchantly expressed in 'The Mob,' 'The Elder Son,' The Fugitive,' and 'Loyalties'.

The modern drama is a criticism of life. It is a realistic drama of purpose. It gives us a slice of life. It is mainly a

drama of ideas. It enlarges our point of view. It was germinated by Ibsen and Shaw and then it was

cultivated by Galsworthy, Granville Barker and others. As the Greek tragedy depends on religious interests

in the audience, and the Elizabethan tragedy on the analysis of an individual, the modern tragedy generally

centres on a social problem.

The problem play (also called "thesis play," "discussion play," and "the comedy of ideas") is a comparatively

recent form of drama. It originated in nineteenth-century France but was effectively practiced and

popularized by the Norwegian playwright Ibsen. It was introduced into England by Henry Arthur Jones and

A. W. Pinero towards the end of the nineteenth century. G. B. Shaw and Galsworthy took the problem play

to its height in the twentieth century. H. Granvi Barker was the last notable practitioner of this dramatic type.

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Thus the problem play flourished in England in the period between the last years of the nineteenth century

and the middle of the twentieth.

What Is a Problem Play? : As its very name indicates, a problem play is a drama built around a specific

problem. The problem is generally of a sociological nature: for example, prostitution, inadequate housing,

unemployment, labor unrest, and so on. At times, however, a problem play may rise above the immediate

context of a problem to grapple with larger ideological or even metaphysical and universal issues. In Man

and Superman the writer's chief concern is not with a contemporary sociological problem but with the

concept of "Life Force", acceptance on his concept and working in accordance with.

Galsworthy's thirty plays are nearly all of problem type: Speaking of Galsworthy's problem plays Long

comments "Galsworthy's thirty plays are nearly all problem plays. His favourite method is to stage two

contrasting individuals, as in 'Justice' or two contrasting groups, as in 'Loyalties,' and let the audience weigh

their conflicting claims as in a balance. In explanation he wrote: Every grouping of life has its inherent moral;

and the business of the dramatist is to bring that moral poignantly to the light of day. Plot or story elements

were to him of no consequence. He was a conscientious dramatist, one of the rare few who have scored the

old stage tricks that Roman Comedians first used for their effect on the audience. In presenting different

groups he tried to deal fairly with all classes. His sympathy for the unfortunate often led him to dramatize

them as victims of social injustice; here another sees them as victims of their own folly of carelessness.

When in one of his prefaces he declares,' The play is a picture of the human heart in its attitude towards an

offender, heads lowered, horns pointed. He was out of tune with both nature and the stage that holds a

mirror up to nature, and proved it by his own play 'Escape (1626), 'wherein the human herd displayed its

proverbial sympathy for the underdog.

His problem plays are of abiding interest: Expressing his opinion about Galsworthy's problem plays

Long remarks. "All problem plays are, at least, of momentary interest, their stage life being commonly as

brief as a dance of mayflies in the spring sunshine, but Galsworthy's art is of abiding interest to drama

because of his mastery of technique 'Justice' (1910) and The Silver Box (1906) are good examples of his

earlier works, and Loyalties (1922) of his failure to hold an even balance between two groups permitting his

realism to stray over borders of sentimentality."

Galsworthy states as many points of view as possible connected with a problem. He deals with the problem

thinking it to be very complex and finds out the ills as they are in it. He loathes suggesting any practical

reform of these ills, though we can see a constant suggestion in his plays for a remedy. His solution is

generally ethical and not political, based on humanitarian point of view.

The play is a cry against the cruel administration of Prison: John Galsworthy wrote this play in 1910 to

express his concept of legal system. It is a well-made realistic play. It deals with the problem of cruel prison

administration. In a letter written in May 1909 to the Home Secretary the Right Hon. Herbert John

Galdstone, Galsworthy cited a young woman's impressions about solitary confinement:

"It is like nothing else in the world, it is impossible to describe it, no words can paint its miseries, nothing -that

I can say would give any ideas of the horrors of solitary confinement- it maddens one even to think of it. No

one, who has not been through it can conceive the awful anguish one endures when shut-up in a living

bomb thrown back upon yourself..... the overpowering sensation is one of suffocation. You feel you must

and can smash the walls, burn open the doors, kill yourself."

The play condemns the penal laws that subject criminals to closed-cell confinement: The story of the play

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moves round William Farder a 23 year old good looking emotional man. He is a junior clerk in the office of

the solicitors-James and Walter How. Ruth Honeywill, a 26 year old married woman with two children,

attracts his sympathy to get rid of a brutal husband. In order to help her financially, he alters a cheque from £

9 to £ 90. When caught, he tells Robert Cokeson, the managing clerk that it was just a minute of madness.

Walter pleads before his father James, How that Falder should not be prosecuted on the plea that it is his

first offence. Cokeson also supports Walter but James remarks, "Life's one long temptation, Cokeson,"

James asserts, "If it had been a straightforward case I'd give him another chance. Its far from that. He has

dissolute habits."

Both Walter and Cokeson plead further for mercy to Falder because of his extenuating circumstances.

James, however, remains unmoved.

Justice' likewise exposes the evils of the contemporary English system of law and judicial procedure. Once

a person is caught in the trap of law, it is impossible for him to escape from it. The author calls it a huge cage.

Justice is treated as a machine which when given a push rolls on of itself and crushes the individual. Men

like Falder are destroyed daily under the law for want of human insight which sees them as they are patients

and not criminals. One evil exposed in this play is that of solitary confinement. Another evil is the practice of

reporting regularly at the police station by the criminal after his release from the jail. Once a person

becomes a criminal, he is always a criminal. Society ill-treats the ex-convict; Galsworthy suggests only one

remedy-sympathetic and humanitarian approach to the offender. The main problem is the problem of

justice. The secondary problems are those related to the prison system. Condemning solitary confinement,

and stone-roller of blind justice, Galsworthy asks what society is going to do for the relief of distressed

women like Ruth and emotionally weak young men like Falder.

George Sampson writes, "The real problem of the play, what is society to do with a yoUng clerk who falsifies

his employer's cheque and steals their money in order to run away with another man's wife and children

alleged (but never shown) to be unhappy, is entirely shirked."

W.L. Phelps writes, "The play is propaganda. The real criminal on trial is civilized society, its particular

offence is the prison system, and it is found guilty. Solitary confinement is a bad business, and like all

deliberate cruelty is worse than inefficient."

Q.3. What do you know of Galsworthy's conception of tragedy?

Ans. Tragedy is a kind of play with a sad ending, usually with the death of the central character. These

types of plays existed long back in Greece and were known as classical tragedies. In the period during the

reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Marlowe and Shakespeare, and later Webster wrote tragedies which have been

known as Elizabethan tragedies. These tragedies invariably depict the fall of a great man- a king or a

general or a leader- from a high social position due to a fatal flaw in his character. In the late nineteenth and

twentieth centuries, the character of tragedy has undergone great changes by introducing real problems of

the present- day world that confront individual men and women. These plays are known as modern social

tragedies. 'Justice' belongs to this category.

It is a deeply moving experience. It is so with the Galssworthian tragedy also. Most of the plays written by

John Galsworthy have a prevailing tragic cast. The tragic conception of the playwright is the product of

modern social conditions. He is a writer of the social tragedy which is quite different from both classical and

romantic tragedy. Its theme is suggested by the various family relationships of life, social injustice, social

deterioration (fall), social failure, caste feeling and idealism.

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Galsworthy's Tragedy in a Conflict: As usual the essence of the Galsworthian tragedy lies in a conflict.

This conflict is not between man and fate nor is it between man and villain. The society has taken the place

of the supernatural beings, fate and villain. It is the human society with all its institutions and conventions

that make man suffer and die. The conflict takes place between the central character and the society,

between two human beings or groups. There is no question of the presence of an external fate in a tragedy

written by John Galsworthy.

The main Character is not Heroic: The main character is not heroic. He is a symbol of some group or

class or force. We are interested in him because of his representative character. It is in his representative

capacity that he interests us. Thus there is no conventional hero in the Galsworthian tragedy. Roberts and

John Antony are his most heroic figures. Jones claims but a humble place. The main character in a tragedy

written by Galsworthy is mediocre. He is often victim of injustice. He finds himself practically helpless in the

face of determining circumstances and social forces which prove too strong for him. He is weak rather than

heroic, humble rather than exalted in rank. He is borne down by the social forces.

No Villain in Galsworthian Tragedy: There is no villain in the Galsworthian tragedy. The sufferings and

miseries of modern social life are brought about not by the wicked villain but by persons animated by the

best intentions, but these people are obtuse, short-sighted and unimaginative. They lack imaginative

sympathy and understanding. The tragedy is brought about by the weakness of man and man-made social

forces. The civilization itself has grown so tremendous, vast and majestic that it crushes a man quite easily.

The villain is the society itself. It works through its institutions., He is sure to lose the ground. The law is a

social institution. The mighty millstones of this law crush Falder to death.

Tremendous waste and exaltation in Galsworthian tragedy: The Galsworthian tragedy produces a

tremendous impression of waste."Strife" ends with lives that are wasted. In 'Justice' Falder's suicide implies

this waste. This tragic impression of waste is prominent in the case of the 'Silver Box', 'Loyalties', 'The Mob',

'The Pigeon', 'Eldest Son' and 'The Fugitive' also. The main figure in the Galsworthian tragedy is not

triumphant in the material sphere, but he is spiritually emergent. He comes out of fray with his head bloody

but unbowed. He achieves a sort of spiritual victory which is not to be measured in terms of marriage,

happiness and the defeat of material forces. Thus the final impression of the Galsworthian tragedy is not

merely of waste but of exaltation also. It shows that Galsworthy is not a pessimist.

Galsworthy does not believe in the evil forces: Man can live happily and well if he works with a spirit of

co-operation, imaginative sympathy, human insight and understanding. He can avoid all friction and

bitterness if he does so. The playwright does not believe in the existence of these evil forces which are

consciously working against the happiness of man. He believes that nature is not men in a conscious way.

The social institutions themselves work against progress both consciously and unintentionally.

Galsworthy's Tragedies are Social Tragedies: All the tragedies of Galsworthy are sociological tragedies.

Each of them presents some social problem. 'The Silver Box' throws light on the great evil that there is one

law for the poor and another for the rich. 'Strife' shows the great social and economic havoc caused by

perpetual conflict between workers and the employers. The 'Fugitive' describes woman's position in social

life. The spirit of the crowd and idealism dominate 'The Mob, ' Loyalties; and similar other plays are studies

in racial pride and social conventions and shortcomings.

For instance, nobody intends to do any deliberate harm to Falder but even then he finds himself in a sort of

net. He is crushed not by hostile gods or fate but by the majestic edifice of law which shelters all of us and

each stone of which rests on another. These social institutions can be eliminated or reformed to enable man

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to live happily and well.

Characters are subordinate to action and incident: Characters in a Galsworthian tragedy are

subordinate to action and incident. They are types rather than individuals. Each of them is a symbol of some

class or force. The essentials of his character are fixed for all extremity. Unlike the characters of classical or

romantic tragedy they are not individuals. They interest us with their representative capacity only. The

development of a situation is more important than characterization. Galsworthy does not write a tragedy of

character. Character is not destiny here. It is the society to which the main character in Galsworthy

succumbs and it fills us with pity and sympathy. They do not make us weep~ That is why it is wrong to say

that John Galsworthy has emphasized the pathetic element in the tragic plays. He makes us all feel that

humanity is frail, but it is capable of solution. Thus the tragic conception of John Galsworthy is the product of

modern social conditions working on a sensitive mind.

Q.4. Justify the title of the play 'Justice'.

OR

Title 'Justice' is an appropriate, apt and just. Discuss.

Ans. In Galsworthy's own words, "Justice made a great sensation especially ,in Parliamentary and official

circles. Winston Churchill, the new Home Secretary, and Ruggless Brisle, Head of the Prison Commission,

both witnessed it, the first with sympathy, the second with a sinking sensation".

There are many critics who agree that the title of the play 'Justice' is quite appropriate. It is according to the

theme and subject-matter of the play. But there are other critics who say that the play should have the title

'William Falder". At the first sight, the title of the play appears to be non-committal. It is quite clear from the

play that Galsworthy's sympathy lies with William Falder and Ruth Honeywill. He is not so impartial in this

playas he is in his other plays. Hence, the title is suggestive. It is ironical. In the places where justice is

expected, it is only injustice which the individual, especially the poor individual, gets.

The Realistic Title: Galsworthy belongs to the realistic school. He believes in realism. Most of his plays

have one word title, e.g., 'Justice,' Strife,' Loyalties', 'Silver-box', 'Joy', etc. They have no romantic overtures

or imaginative flights, such as,' As You Like It', 'A Mid summer Night's Dream' or All's Well that Ends Well'.

Nor are his plays named after his heroes. Galsworthy wants to deal with the unheroic heroes. Hence he

does not name his tragedies after the names of his heroes like Shakespeare.

Problem Oriented Title: Galsworthy was writing problem plays. His titles directly relate to the themes,

They hit at the major problems they are going to deal with. 'Strife' deals with the strife between capital and

labour. 'Loyalties' deals with different kinds of loyalties and in the same way 'Justice' deals with the problem

of justice, Galsworthy had seen the wretched condition of the prisoners of his time. His heart wept to see the

miserable conditions of the jails. He wanted to see that they were reformed. So he painted in this play

(Justice) the miseries and cruelties of jail-life, and hit at the penal system of England which required a

change.

The Central Idea of the Play: The play by its very title hints at the central idea behind the play. Falder is a

young man in his early twenties. At this age man easily falls prey to the looks of beautiful women. In order to

help her and to save her from the clutches of a drunkard and cruel husband, he forges out a cheque. He

cashes ninety pounds instead of nine. His forgery is detected before he leaves for another country as

planned by him with the woman and her children. He is willing to return the money, but the masters of the

firm in which he is working decide to prosecute him.

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He is now in the cage of law. He has been entrapped in the network of law, from where there is no escape.

"Once the cheque was altered and presented, the work of four minutes-four mad minutes-the rest has been

silence. But in those four minutes the boy (Falder) has slipped through a door, hardly opened, into that great

cage which never again quite lets a man go-the cage of the law." The defective process of law works upon

him. All the arguments of Frome in his defence fail. No consideration is given to the circumstances in which

he committed the forgerY. He is sentenced to three years' rigorous Wnprisonment. Frome Says, "Men like

the prisoner are destroyed daily under our law for want of that human insight which sees them as they are-

patients and not criminals."

The essential part of the legal punishment is imprisonment. The so called criminals are kept in prison. The

prisons are a place where the prisoners live a life of hell. The life in the prison completely demoralizes them.

Once a man gets into the prison there is no way out of it. Galsworthy describes prisoners as a band of

"luckless crews" who live in "those dark, ill starred ships called prisons." From that voyage hardly a person

ever returns. This is the malady of the existing legal system. It is a great mantrap and a paradox.

Imprisonment is said to be a process, to check crime, but in reality it becomes a process to complete the

cycle of crime. Frome says with reference to Falder, "If the prisoner be found guilty and treated as though he

was a criminal type, he will, as all experience shows, in all probability become one," Therefore, Frome

makes an appeal to the court not to thrust him back into prison and brnnd him for ever.

The process of the law is an unending process. It does not come to the end even with the term of

imprisonment undergone by a prisoner. The law requires that even after his release, the convict must

regularly report to the police about his whereabouts. This system keeps him reminded that he has been a

convict. Law does not give him a chance to forget his unlucky past and to begin a clean life after his release.

It is this part of law that Falder again falls a victim to and dies. The police detective again comes to arrest him

because he has failed to report his presence at the police station and has got a job after forging a reference.

The fear of the second punishment so horrifies him that he kills himself by jumping down and breaking his

neck. Galsworthy draws our attention to this weakness of law which we may call a serious social evil. Thus,

the play really achieves its objective. The play is an indictment of the mechanical and unimaginative

application of Law which does not probe into the complexities of human motives.

In the play the problem is more important than the individual. That is why the play is named after the main

problem and not after the main character. The character (Falder) has been subordinated to the main

problem, the problem of justice. The play, if named after Falder, would not have stressed the gravity of the

problem, shown by the dramatist in the play. By giving the title' Justice' to the play, the author has made the

problem and theme a matter of general regard and consideration. Falderis only a means and justice is the

end. Falder is only a tool in the hands of the dramatist to prove what he wishes to advocate.

In the play "Falder is convicted of forgery. We are convicted of murder. We are murderers, the society is the

murderer. Our laws are slaughterhouses where innocent and sometimes unintentional and unseasoned

criminals are turned into brutes and eventually murdered. This is the message the dramatist wants to give.

No better title could have been chosen than 'Justice' and the title is just suggestive and appropriate.

Q.5. What are the circumstances under which Fa/der committed the crime of forgery?

Ans. Falder, the hero of the drama, is an employee in the Solicitors' Firm of James How and Walter How.

Falder is a very well-behaved, dutiful, honest, conscientious and a responsible young man. Everyone in the

office is much pleased with his nature and working.

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All of a sudden, the cycle of Fate turns the table against Falder. Falder loves the young Ruth Honeywill

deeply even to the extent of sacrificing everything for her sake. Ruth's husband is a tyrant, who is ready to

kill her by strangulation under the influence of wine. Ruth has to tolerate all these torturous acts of her

husband as law does not allow legal separation merely on the ground of cruel treatment. So Ruth meets

Falder to seek solution of her problems from him. Falder feels a lot of sympathy with her and tries his best to

help her. Their intimacy gradually develops into a deep sympathy, sincerity and passionate love for such

other.

One morning Ruth comes highly agitated in torn clothes alongwith her two little children to meet Falder in

his office. She tells Falder that her cruel husband under the influence of wine tried to strangulate her and

that she will not return to her home. If she does so, she may not remain alive. Falder is very much shocked to

see the pathetic plight of his beloved. He becomes almost mad with great agony and terror. His mental

equilibrium is completely disrupted. He has not sufficient money but he begins to contemplate to save Ruth

anyhow from the clutches of her cruel husband. He makes a plan to elope with her to some foreign land so

that they may start living like husband and wife there with peace, contentment and safety. Falder thinks all

the time the ways and means to save his beloved by procuring money anyhow.

Feeling deeply distressed, Falder goes to his office. He does not take any interest in office work. His mental

worrying so deep and acute that he almost becomes mad, losing his clear thinking and understanding.' He

moves in the most baffled state. In such a great emotional crisis, he loses all his reason and discretion of

just and unjust, right and wrong. At that very moment, one of his colleagues, Davis, hands him a cheque for

nine pounds to get it encashed from the firm's Bank. In his uneasy mental state, as he already was, an evil

or malicious idea flashed across his mind. He thinks if he adds 'zero' after the figure of '9' and 'ty' after the

word 'nine', already written on the cheque, he can get ninety pounds from the bank which would be enough

for him to take his beloved abroad. So he acts according to this momentary flash and makes fraudulent

alterations on the cheque in a fit of temporary insanity. He does not even recollect when he made alterations

and how he cashed the cheque. This was all a four minutes job, i.e., since the time of making alterations on

the cheque up to the time he cashed it from the bank.

After withdrawing the money, ninety pounds, from the bank fraudulently, he comes to his normal senses. He

curses himself for what he has done, desires to throw off the money on the open road and even to fling

himself before a running bus. But then the gloomy face of Ruth appears before him with the thought that

what is done cannot be undone. So he wants to utilize this money by sailing off to South America to enable

Ruth to lead a happy and peaceful life with him there. But good sense and honesty remains with him all

through. He realises that he is guilty of the crime of forgery but decides in his heart to return all this money to

his employers on reaching the foreign country.

Once a person is caught hold of in the clutches of the cruel law he has no way out except to complete the

long drawn process of law despite his scheme to escape. Falder has to wait for some time to find a chance

to make corresponding alterations in the counter foit of the cheque with a view to complete the process of

crime, already committed.

These are the circumstances which are largely responsible for compelling FaJder to commit the first and

last crime of forgery in his life. He is an offender of a casual nature. He is innocent, gentle and honest. There

is no such sign of a confirmed criminal on his face. After the commission of crime, he feels himself like a

terrorized, mentally conflicted and bewildered person. His noble heart is flowing with the milk of human

kindness towards Ruth, his beloved, whose life was in constant danger. With the tender feeling of

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magnanimity to save the life of his sad and the poor beloved, Falder was compelled to commit this act of

forgery.

Q.6. Summarise the arguments for defence of Falder put forth by Frome.

Ans. Falder was held guilty of th"e charge of forgery and was tried in the law-court. Mr. Frome, a young wise

counsel, pleaded for defence for and on behalf of Falder. Frome admitted the facts of the case that his client

was definitely guilty of committing an act of forgery, a punishable offence under the law. But Frome

appealed to the Judge and members of the Jury to pronounce their verdict on the strength of moral and

human consideration and the circumstances under which Falder committed the crime of forgery as also the

excited and sentimental state of temporary insanity which had overpowered him.

Frome further established that as the crime was committed by Falder in a state of severe mental strain and

emotional crisis, the prisoner should not at all be held responsible for his deed. As a person is exonerated

from the crime of suicide, if committed in a fit of agitated emotions and excited feelings, so also Falder

should be absolved of the crime of forgery. Besides, Falder is guilty of the crime of a lesser degree. It would

be unjust if Falder is sentenced to imprisonment for having committed a minor offence In his weak moments

of excitement and emotional distress tantamount to momentary madness.

Then Frome went on narrating the circumstances under which Falder had committed the crime. He

described that Falder was a simple-minded, generous-hearted, tender and innocent young man, who was

passionately devoted towards Ruth Honeywill She led the most wretched and risky life under the cruel

treatment of her husband who tried to kill her by strangulation. The poor lady could have no legal separation

as the law of England did not permit divorce on the basis of the cruel treatment by either party to the

marriage only. So, she had no legal way of escape from her cruel husband.

One morning, Ruth came to Falder in a pitiable and pathetic condition and showed him the deep finger

marks upon her neck; blood had collected in her eyes. She told him that her husband tried to strangle her to

death last night and it became hard for her to breathe. She said that she would not return to her husband as

otherwise he is sure to kill her. This situation made Falder almost mad with excitement and deep distress.

So, Falder out of his deep and passionate love and compassion for Ruth, decided to sail away with her to a

foreign country where they could live together as husband and wife with peace. Falder is definitely guilty in

the eye of law as he is not legally permitted to elope with a married lady unless she procures legal

separation, which was not possible at that stage. But from the moral and human point of view, Falder was

quite justified in taking such a decision.

Falder was however unable to help her for want of money. It was such a bewildering and maddening state of

Falder that he could not think of right or wrong, just or unjust, legal or illegal. In this state of grave excitement

and mental imbalance, he committed a crime of forgery. This period of illegal action lasted only four minutes

when he altered the figures on the cheque of the company from pound nine to ninety. Falder admitted in the

Court that he did not remember at all how and when he did the act of forgery. So the Defence Counsel

Frome rightly agreed that Falder was not at all guilty of the crime. He appealed to the Court to treat Falder's

offence as a case of monetary madness and acquit him of the charge. He should be treated as a patient

rather than as a confirmed criminal or a professional offender.

Frome pleaded further with the Court on grounds of humanity and compassion. He reiterated that Falder

was not a professional criminal. He had an unblemished record on his office as also in public. He said, "He

has not a strong face, but neither has he a vicious face. He is just the sort of man who would easily become

the prey of his emotions." He appealed to the Court, therefore, to try Falder from the humanitarian angle. He

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further clarified that legal provisions should not be allowed to come in his way. Law should not be given

precedence over the pressing circumstances which compelled him to commit the crime. If the chariot

wheels of law and justice start rolling and are not ignored in his case, he would be ruined forever. None can

then save his life from utter ruination.

Before closing his address, Frome also went to the extent of criticizing the existing crude, gravely defective,

blind and malignant system of law in E'ngland. Law is a lifeless, heartless and feelingless machine under

which thousands of innocent victims are crushed to death almost daily. "Justice is a machine", he said, "that

when some one has once given it the starting push, rolls on of itself." The prisons, in which the innocent

casual offenders, are confined, are like ill-faced ships in which thousands of prisoners perish lIke luckless

sailors, sailing on a ship wrecked in a stormy sea. Once a prisoner enters the prison, there is no escape for

him for the whole of his life. He is rendered unfit for any service thereafter and is subjected to great

defamation and humiliation.

He said, "I urge you gentlemen do not ruin this young man. For, as a result of those four minutes, ruin utter

and irretrievable, stares him in the face. He can be saved now. Imprison him as a criminal and I affirm to you

that he will be lost." Frome concluded his arguments with the impressive statement, "the rolling of the

chariot-wheels of justice over this boy began when it was decided to prosecute him. We are now already at

the second stage. If you permit it to go on to the third I would not give-that for him."

Q.7. Discuss how John Galsworthy's 'Justice' is a tragedy of Falder as it is of Ruth.

Or

Discuss how the doctrine of full responsibility does not hold well in the case of Falder and Ruth in

their tragedy.

Ans. Like every other tragic play written by John Galsworthy 'Justice' is a social tragedy. The tragedy in an

ancient or classical play is caused by fate or divine will. During the Elizabethan days this tragedy is mostly

an outcome of the character of a man. Character is mostly destiny in the Shakespearean tragedy. In

Galsworthy's plays, it is caused by society which is the black godmother of all damnable things. There are

no heroes or villains in the plays of John Galsworthy. The society is the chief villain in them. It is represented

by many persons and institutions.

The human society is often conservative. Its members do not like to change with times. They make laws

and conventions which become rigid in the course of time. The result is that they begin to tyrannise over us.

Thus the society itself becomes a villain and begins to run one individual after another. Its members lack

imagination, sympathy and understanding. They do not exercise any human insight. It is for this very

reason that Falder dies and Ruth continues to live a pathetic and miserable life.

The society in 'Justice' is represented by James How, Cleaver, the judge, the prison chaplain etc. They are

neither involved persons, nor are they responsible for bringing about the tragedy of Falder and Ruth. They

are but conservative persons believing in the rigid social conventions and justice. They hold very strong

views on crime and morality. While maintaining those social conventions they do not exercise any

imaginative sympathy nor do they use any human insight. They believe like the judge in 'Justice' that the law

is a magnificent edifice which shelters every member of society. Its breach is a serious I crime for which man

must be punished. Both law and the prison represent this society. They also tyrannise over a weak human

being like Falder. Thus it is the society that is the real villain. It is responsible for the tragedy of either Falder

or Ruth or both. A brief glance at their circumstances illustrates this view.

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Falder is a weak and nervous, sensitive and impulsive youth. It so happens that he falls in love with a

beautiful woman named Ruth whose husband is a brutally cruel drunkard. He has tried to strangle her to

death twice. Falder tries to save her. As ill-luck would have it, he is arrested in time. When he is put into

prison, he is subjected to solitary confinement which breaks his will. When he is released, he has to face the

society which does not welcome this ex-prisoner. Even Falder's brother-in-law is not ready to receive him

into his family. He has to submit false reference to get a job. For this crime he is to be arrested again. The

winged chariot of justice starts pursuing him.

Meanwhile, Ruth who is a beautiful woman with an independent spirit, is left in a helpless condition. She

tries to live with her cruel husband. She cannot join the work house nor can she take help from the poor

house. She tries to earh her bread but in vain. She cannot support even her two little children with her

income. Then she has to sell her body and to sleep with her employer. When Falder comes to know that

Ruth has not remained what she should have been, he is filled with agony. He cover his is face with his

hands. It is at this time that the detective comes to arrest him. He commits suicide and leaves Ruth in a sad

and gloomy condition of life. She is alive, for she has to mind her two little children, but she is now worse

than a dead person.

All these things show that "Justice" is as much a tragedy of Ruth Honeywill as it is of William Falder. Both of

them suffer a lot but they are not much responsible for their suffering. Falder alters a cheque and Ruth

marries Honeywill against the wishes of her relations. But each of them suffers much more than each

deserves.

Character Sketches

Q.8. Sketch the character of William Falder.

Ans. (i) Introduction: William Falder is a dramatically interesting character. He is one of the greatest

creations of John Galsworthy. He figures as the central character in 'Justice'. He typifies that weak

character who suffers partly from his own faults and nature but more from society and its institutions. He is

the victim of a system. Like Cokeson he is a living and growing character. The playwright has gifted him with

his own individuality. Unlike many characters of John Galsworthy he is not a mere type.

(ii) A tragic Figure :- Falder is a tragic figure. We take pity on him. We feel for his sufferings. We sympathise

with him. He is the hero of 'Justice' but he differs from the conventional hero. That is so, for he is not

exceptional in any manner. His tragedy does not influence the fate of masses. He does not fail in a

spectacular way in the world and he excites pity in us as a poor helpless creature. He is one of us and goes

to the wall like so many other people of the world. When we think of him, we feel that Galsworthy does not

mean to present him before us like anyone of the heroes of classical or Elizabethan drama.

(iii) A Weak and Nervous Man: Falder is a weak and nervous character. He is an impulsive man. Frome

who is the defence counsel tells us that he is bred and born with a weak character; he has neither the face

nor the manner of a man who can survive that terrible ordeal of imprisonment. He again says "He is just the

sort of man who easily becomes prey of his emotions. It is during a fit of powerful impulse that he alters the

cheque. It is during another fit of impulse that he commits suicide." Frome is right when he wants Falder to

be treated like a patient. James also thinks that "weak character is written all over him." This weakness of

character is his misfortune. He suffers and dies due to this weakness of his character.

(iv) His Romantic and Chivalrous Nature: Falder is a romantic and emotional character. He has

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something of brave heroes who belonged to good old days. There are people who think that he has weak

moral principles. That is why he loves a married woman when she is not divorced by her husband. James

does not want him to do so. He is to reappoint him only when he gives up loving Ruth Honeywill. Cokeson

dislikes this immorality of his behaviour. The judge punishes him for it. He thinks that like the act of forgery

this illicit love is also a serious crime against society. But the truth does not lie on the surface of the things.

He is a romantic lover. He acts like a knight of the good old days. When he attempts to save Ruth from her

brutal husband, he begins to sympathize with her. This sympathy leads to love. He does not see any chance

of getting a divorce, so he decides to take her to South America. That is the only way to save her from her

husband. He is not a weak and dishonest man. He needs money to help her. He does not return the money

got by cashing the forged cheque because with this money only he can save her. Hence it is proper to call

him a weak man who wavers in morality and honesty. He works under the force of circumstances and

becomes a criminal. At heart he is a good man. There is not much truth in the following words of James How:

"A man does not succumb like that in a moment if he has a clean mind and habits. He's rotten, got the eyes

of a man who can't keep his hand off where there is money about.

(v) A True and Sincere Lover: Falder is a true lover of Ruth Honeywill. His heart overflows with the milk of

sympathy and love. He loves Honeywill passionately and ardently. It is for saving this poor beauty that he

ruins his own spotless career. He becomes a criminal in the eye of law or our selfish society. He loves her

with his soul. He keeps her even at the cost of his honour and honesty, religion and morality. This love is

true. We hesitate in calling it immoral. It implies the mingling of two souls. When James wants him to give up

loving her, he cries out "I couldn't give her Lip. I couldn't! I'm all she's got to look to, and I'm sure she's all I've

got" This cry comes from the core of his loving heart. When he comes to know that Ruth has sold her body to

the employer during his absence, he loses all he has. The tragedy of his life is complete. He commits

suicide only after the completion of the tragedy of his soul.

(vi) Emotionally Weak: Falder is a weak character. The way in which he reacts to the prison life shows his

weak will. He feels that "a day shut up in your cell thinking and brooding as I do; it's longer than a year

outside; cannot help it." During his solitary confinement in the prison cell, he at time feels like beating his

head against the prison wall. In the words of a critic, Phelps, "He is a weak, spineless man." James also

says of him that "weak character's written all over him." He is weak and nervous all through. He is a man of

impulse. He does not possess the courage to face the odd circumstances. His decision to run away with

Ruth to South America, to forge out a cheque, and his suicide are all impulsive acts. He gets a nervous

breakdown in the prison. Defending Falder in the court of law, Frome rightly says, "He has not a strong face,

but neither has he a vicious face. He is just the sort of man who would easily become prey of his emotion."

(vii) Conclusion: William Falder is to linger long in our memory as a tragic figure, a weak, nervous and

impulsive figure, a true lover and a romantic and emotional character. He typifies every man who happens

to suffer at the hands of "a black Godmother of all damnable things whom we know as society that works

through its various institutions."

Q.9. Give your impressions of Ruth Honeywill's character, stating in what respects 'Justice' is her

tragedy as it is that of Falder.

And. (i) Introduction: Ruth Honeywill is a very engaging character of 'Justice'. She is a woman in the state

of marriage. Conventions and chains of social morality have made her a helpless victim. "Justice' is as

much a tragedy of Falder as it is of Ruth. She is a foil to the character of her lover Falder in many ways. She

suffers much more than her lover does, for she had to face something worse than death. She is a central

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figure in the play. She is a social rebel for she does not mind the loss of her moral balance.

(ii) Her Personality : She is a stately beautiful woman with black hair and eyes. She possesses an ivory-

white, clear cut face. Her personality has a natural dignity of poise and gesture. She is a youthful woman of

twenty-six years of age. She wields the power of her feminine beauty and honeyed-look.

(iii) A Victim of Society: Like Falder, Ruth Honeywill is also a victim of society. She is a prey to the cruel

social set up. She is a very important character in the play. She plays a major role in bringing the tragedy to

its close. She is a true tragic figure. She does not die. She only suffers, but her sufferings are more painful

than death. She has to bear the pain of the death of her lover. When the dead body of Falder is brought up

and laid before her she gets frantic and hysteric with grief. She flings herself upon the dead body and

hysterically cries to the people around her not to arrest him again. She is terribly grief stricken.

(iii) A Foil to Falder: Ruth Honeywill presents a great contrast to the character of Falder in many respects.

Unlike her lover she is not weak, nervous and impulsive character. She is rather a woman of firm mind and

determination. She has got self-possession in her. When she makes up her mind not to live with her brutally

cruel husband, she does not live with him. She is independent by nature. She tries to support her children by

sewing shirts. She does not accept help from Cokeson also because she is conscious of her self-respect

and dignity which she is not prepared to submit to society easily. She does not bow down to her cruel

husband, who is a drunkard. She tells this thing to the judge in a free and frank manner. She is a courageous

woman with a strong will and firm determination. She retains her balance of mind and remains calm and

self-possessed in the court during the trial of Falder.

(iv) Evil Star of Falder: In a sense she is responsible for Falder's tragedy. In this sense, she is his evil star,

although she loves him a great deal. Her unfortunate marriage is the cause of her tragedy. She is married to

a cruel and heartless monster. He tortures her in all possible ways and even tries to strangle her to death.

This is the beginning of her poignant tragedy. Her acquaintance with Falder develo~s into passionate love

and it is this passionate love which is the cause of the hero's fall and his sad tragedy. She suffers terribly at

the hands of her husband. She herself says, "He grew more and more cruel in his behaviour. He used me

worse than ever. He couldn't break my nerve, but I lost my health and then he began knocking the children

about. I couldn't stand that, I wouldn't go back, now if he was flying:" Ruth suffered and suffered on account

of her unfortunate marriage. She tells Cokeson about her miserable condition. "It was the best I could get,

but I never made more than ten shillings a weak, buying my own cotton and working all day; I hardly ever got

to bed till past twelve. I kept at it for nine months. I was not made for it. I would rather die."

(v) Her Love for Falder: Ruth Honeywill is sincere and true lover of William Falder. She is a natural lover.

She has married Honeywill only for the sake of her love for him and thus disobeys the other members of her

family. Her husband treats her cruelly like a brute. When Falder begins to sympathize with her she responds

to his sympathy with love. He is the only man to whom she can look up for help. Indeed he is the hope of her

life. She tells Cokeson that her meeting with Falder is to be a matter of life and death. She remains worried

all the time when Falder is in the prison. She makes a great sacrifice when she agrees to leave Falder for the

sake of his future happiness. She does so with a great agony on her mind. She is prepared to kill herself but

not to take Falder against his will. She glories in her love for Falder. While speaking of this love to the judge

she says that "it is the only thing in my life now." She is a loving mother too. It is for the sake of her little

children that she sells her body to the employer, . When Falder comes to know of this immoral act she hides

her face with both her hands. He commits suicide. But before it is the tragedy of her soul by losing her

chastity. She has lost every thing. But we cannot say that she is faithless in her love. Ruth is not responsible

for this immoral act on her part. It is "the Black God mother of all damnable things," It is society that makes

her suffer and go to the wall in the end. She lives in her body, but she is worse than dead Falder.

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(vi) A Pathetic and Tragic Future: Ruth is a great tragic figure. 'Justice' is as much a tragedy of Falder as it

is of Ruth Honeywill. She is not much responsible for that tragedy of her life. When she is quite young, she

falls in love with Honeywill at first sight and makes him her lord against the wishes of her relatives. The

disobedience is the only sin she commits in her life. Her husband proves to be a cruel brute and drunkard.

He treats her like a brute. One day he goes to the extent of trying to strangle her to death. She takes refuge

in the world of Falder's generous and loving nature. He commits forgery to take her to South America for

living with her happily there. He wants to save her from the deadly clutches of society and all its institutions

or representations. But by the irony of fate or chance he is arrested just in time and is imprisoned for three

years. All these things shock and sadden her. She tries to live like a pure, honest and industrious woman,

but the society does not let her do it. The social and economic forces together with social morality do not let

her live a life of chastity. She has to sell her body. Thus she becomes a pathetic figure. Our hearts weep for

her. It is something deeply moving that she has to prove faithful to a man who has ruined his life for her sake.

The discovery of her faithlessness shocks Falder and throws him on the move of a powerful impulse. It is in

this state of his mind that he commits suicide. Ruth bends over his body lamenting his death in a whisper:

"My dear! My pretty" Now the tragedy of her life is complete. She remains standing like a perfectly pathetic

figure and a great tragic character.

(vii) Conclusion: Ruth Honeywill lingers long in one's memory. We shall always remember her as a social

rebel, a courageous, strong willed ~nd firm minded woman, a true lover and a great tragic figure.

Q.10. Give your impression of Cokeson's character stating why he is described as a complex

character or a living figure?

Ans. (i) Introduction: Robert Cokeson is one of the supreme creations of John Galsworthy. He is a living

figure and a complex character. He lives and grows. He responds to the various aspects of life. He receives

many pulls from the various sides of his life and acts differently by way of reaction to each of them. Though

most of the characters in Galsworthy's plays are types, yet like Falder-nay more than Falder-Cokeson is a

dynamic character. He typifies the true Englishman and in this he is the mouthpiece of John Galsworthy

himself. He has got a multi-faced personality. He comes before us as a man of family, as a faithful servant to

his master, as a man of courtesy and discipline, as an honest and dutiful person and as a religious man with

considerable imaginative sympathy. He embodies all those qualities which make the typical Englishman.

But he has got his own personality. He is a type who is not without the human element in him. He plays a

very important part in the life of Falder and Ruth.

(ii) His place in the play and his personality: Cokeson is the managing clerk of James and Walter How-a

solicitors' firm. He is an old man of sixty years or so. His face bears an expression of honesty. He has served

the present firm for twenty nine long years. His personality is like a prism which is full of many colours. He

radiates colours. Each problem makes him radiate a different colour. That is why he seems to be a living

and growing character with a dynamic personality and complex character. He is conscious of his own self-

respect. When James says that the discovery of forgery is necessary for his own fair name also, he says

that his name will take care of itself. He is the only character who provides some fun in the dry gloomy drama

of a tragic life.

(iii) His humanity and kindness: Humanism is the most important quality of his character. It appears as

though Galsworthy has put most of himself in Cokeson. Cokeson has sympathy for the poor, a strong sense

of justice, a true impartiality, generosity and humanism. All these qualities were possessed by Galsworthy

himself. Cokeson's innate humanity compels him to sympathize with Falder and Ruth. That is why he allows

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a lady, contrary to the practice and conventions of the office, to enter there on a private purpose. When he

perceives Falder and Ruth Honeywill embracing each other in the office, he feels outraged; but then

understanding the essential human nature, connives at their breach of decorum.

It is the same milk of human kindness that prompts him to pay a visit to Falder in prison and request the

authorities to be kind to him. He displays his fellow-feeling, kindness and pity for Falder at all places in the

play.

(iv) His sense of Duty and Discipline: Cokeson has a great sense of duty and discipline. He is a dutiful

man, a faithful servant and a law abiding citizen. He subordinates his desire to the will of his authority. It may

be his employer or it may be the institution of law; he is not to go against anyone of them. He is very mindful

of his office discipline. He does not want to allow Ruth to see Falder during his office hours. He allows her to

see him only when she says that it is a matter of life and death to her. He rebukes Falder for having kissed

Ruth in the premises of his firm. Being the watchdog of discipline he cannot put up with any act of

indiscipline in his office. He does his duty towards both his God and his master.

(v) His Honesty: Cokeson is well-known for his honesty. Both James How and Walter How pay homage to

him in this respect. James says, "Well, Cokeson! There's something in character, isn't there?" Honesty has

been his guide. Duty has been his mistress. He has loved his life of simplicity and conscientiousness. He

has a bald head. His face is expressionless. He has no ambition to fulfill, has no saga of his life to follow. He

is a simple man of simple and good nature. Everybody knows Cokesonfor his honesty. Everybody likes him

as a hard working man. Everybody loves him as a conscientious man.

(vi) His Humorous Nature: Cokeson is a humorous man. He is the only man in the play who provides

some moments of humour. He is consciously self-important. His behaviour in the office, in the law-court and

in the prison provides us many occasions when one feels amused by his words and attitudes. The chief

source of his humour is a misuse of words and their wrong pronunciation. He at time uses Latin phrases

erroneously. He sometimes indulges in malapropism. To him prisons are nasty places. In defence of Falder,

in reply to Judge's question to him: "Are you suggesting that he was insane?" Cokeson replies:" Quite

compos." It is a mixture of the Latin term. The correct term is 'non compos mentis,' meaning not of sound

mind.' Further, the Latin 'sin qua non' becomes sign qua none, and 'prima facia' degenerates into prime

facey.

(vii) His considerate Nature: Cokeson's considerate nature reveals itself at many places in title play. He

has. offered to help Ruth Honeywill in her distress. He does not want Falder to be prosecuted for forgery. He

feels sad for the plight of Falder, and agrees to plead with the solicitor to take him back into service. He is

successful in his attempt. But the pleasure of having done a good turn is not to be his. Falder is arrested

again and the young man commits suicide. There is real bitterness in his love, when he says that the young

man is safe with gentle Jesus.

(viii) His living and Dynamic Character: We have already seen how Cokeson is a complex but dynamic

character who behaves like a prism which is full of colours. He responds to every pull that he gets from his

own life. He reacts differently in each case. John Galsworthy has breathed something of his own life into this

good' old man. Indeed he is the mouthpiece of his own creator. He represents Galsworthy's views on

solitary confinement. Like his own creator he is not going to shut a dog even if it bites him at many points of

his body. He can't bear to see anybody's domestic life being ruined. He is a man of great legal knowledge

like the playwright himself. This knowledge has made him rather vain.

(ix) Conclusion: On the whole, Cokeson is a very interesting and a complex character. He has got a

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dynamic personality and a large and loving heart. We shall always remember him as a simple and good

natured man, a faithful man, a religious person and a dutiful citizen. In our opinion, Cokes is the best

character of 'Justice'. We love him most.

Q.11. Draw a contrast between the characters of James How and Walter How.

Ans. Contrast between the characters of James How and Walter How: James How and Walter How

are very important characters of the play 'Justice'. They represent two different outlooks on life and morality.

The former typifies the law-abiding man of conservative outlook and conventional class of people while his

son Walter How is a mouthpiece of Galsworthy himself, a youngman of moderate views. Both are the

partners of the firm of solicitors. James How is the senior partner and Walter How, the son of James How, is

the junior partner. They differ in their personality. James How is a man about sixty years of age. "He is a

short man, with white side-whiskers, plentiful grey hair, shrewd eyes, and gold pince-nez". Walter How, is a

rather refined-looking man of thirty-five, with a pleasant, almost apologetic voice.

James stands for the honesty and integrity of the profession of law. He behaves very strictly. When Falder, a

junior clerk, in his office commits forgery, he does not take into consideration the circumstances in which

Falder commits the crime and behaves very rigidly. On the contrary, Walter How is an idealist. He is in

favour of liberalism and pleads for Falder and wants to give him a chance. He even goes to the extent-of

saying to James: "Put yourself in his place, father" and assures on behalf of Falder. "He'll never do it again."

In the field of morality too, James How is a high supporter of social morality and represents the Victorian

morality. He cannot think of an extra-marital relationship while Walter How is not in favour of any

interference with the private life of a man. Walter How represents Galsworthy himself.

James is dignified in all his conduct. He is the grand old man on occasions-when he charges Falder with

felony, and when, in the end, he says to the detective Wister, 'I dislike peaching.' When Falder has jumped

to death, Walter, Ruth and Cokeson are full of sentiments; James comes with most practical mind and cries.

"What a desperate thing Run for a doctor you! An ambulance"

If James is a shrewd and clever old man, Walter is a bold and sensitive youth. Walter How, at places serves

as Galsworthy's mouthpiece. Almost all his remarks come in response to some remark of James or in his

efforts to persuade him. They are humble, but also sharp and sometimes ironical and proverbial.

Though Walter stands for the humanitarian outlook of the dramatist, James How is not devoid of human

feelings. It is evident when Wister, the detective comes to arrest Falder once again. James refuses to hand

him over to the detective. He feels sorry when he comes to know that Falder is dead. Thus, we find that,

though James How is a strict administrator and is a representative of Victorian morality, yet he is quite

sympathetic and kindhearted.

Though they belong to the same family and profession, their ways of thinking are quite different. One is

conservative, the other is modem and broad-minded, one stands for Victorian discipline, the other

represents modern liberalism. James How cannot tolerate anything that is unlawful, while Walter How is

against anything unpleasant to anybody. Father's thinking is that morality and honesty must be the

essential qualities of a man, but the son considers love and mercy as the greatest virtues. While James

represents honesty and discipline of the profession of law Walter stands for the humanitarian outlook of the

dramatist. James thinks that the society is above individual whereas Walter considers the individual above

the society.

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Q.12. What is the role of Harold Cleaver and Hector Frome in the play?

Ans. The role of Harold Cleaver and Hector Frome: In the play 'Justice' Act II is the soul of the play. It

introduces us to two very important characters and exhibits their talents. These two figures are two great

lawyers-first Harold Cleaver, the counsel for the Crown and second Hector Frome, the counsel for defence.

Though their attitudes are quite different; they contribute a lot to the action and theme of the play and very

well reveal the shortcomings of the. legal system and judicial system in England. From the mouth of Hector

Frome, Galsworthy expresses, his views on justice.

Harold Cleaver is a dried, yellowish man, above middle age. Hector Frome is a young tall man; clean

shaven and in a very white wig. Harold Cleaver is an adept in his art His dealings with criminals and penal

justice have made him quite blind to the human side of law. He is concerned with administration of law only.

He is the exponent of law as it exists.

Hector Frome is not yet the hardened advocate that his adversary is. He is a man of clear understanding

and sympathetic attitude. He is the advocate of humanity. Frome voices Galsworthy's realistic point of view

on law and justice which is the theme of the play. He advocates the theme that a criminal should be treated

as a patient and that we must keep in mind all those circumstances which force him to commit the crime. He

puts forward the misery of a human resulting from the automatic rolling of the machine of justice when

"someone has once given it a starting push." He urges the court not to ruin Falder as he thinks that once the

offender is sent to prison he becomes a confirmed criminal. He describes prisons as 'dark, ill-starred ships".

His description of the working of law and justice is quite correct. He mildly attacks the legal system and

suggests some solutions.

Thus, on the basis of their attitudes towards Falder, we find Harold Cleaver and Hector Frome in a bold

contrast with each other. As they plead, standing on opposite sides, they are quite opposite to each other.

Cleaver is a lover of law and discipline, Frome is a lover of mankind. For Cleaver, action of the criminal is

more important whatever his intentions or circumstances may be. But for Frome, we must consider the-

circumstances under which his client, Falder has committed the crime. It was a work of temporary insanity

and "He can be saved now". Cleaver, as a counsel of the Crown tries his best to get Falder punished while

Frome, the counsel for the defence does his best to get Falder pardoned. Both perform their duties well. But

in the end, Cleaver wins, and Frome loses.

Q.13. The second act of the play presents 'A Court of Justice' where Falder is being tried for felony.

Describe the arguments of Frome in defence of Falder, and the effect of his speech on the counsel

for the Crown.

Ans. The second act of the play presents 'A Court of Justice' where Falder is being tried for felony. Frome is

the defence counsel on the side of Falder. In the Court he argues the case to save Falder from the horrible

life of prison. Frome comes to the rescue of Falder by saying: " If the discovery had been made only one day

later, Falder himself would have left, and suspicion would have attached to him and not to Davis from the

beginning". But when the judge asks Frome whether Falder knew that suspicion would light on himself, and

not on Davis, the argument of the defence falters. Falder is sharply questioned by the judge to speak the

truth 'yes or no'. In a depressed tone he answers "No, my lord. I had no means of knowledge".

Falder commits another error in his defence statement Asked by Cleaver: "Has any aberration of this nature

ever attacked you before?" He comes out with the answer "No, Sir". However in answers to questions put

by the defence counsel, he does give the impression that he had spent his time before cashing the cheque

in a stage of mental abnormality. He had eaten nothing and kept awake the whole night, and it took him a

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long time to come to himself after he had committed the crime.

"In a rather longish argument after the defence evidence Frome acts as a mouthpiece of Galsworthy on the

subject of Falder's crime and the laws of justice prevailing in the land.

"If it please your lordship-Members of the jury, My friend in the cross examination has shown a disposition to

sneer at the defence which has been set up in this case. I am free to admit that nothing I can say will move

you, if the evidence has not already convinced you that the prisoner committed this act in a moment when to

all practical intents and purposes he was not responsible for his actions; a moment of such mental and

moral vacuity, arising from the violent emotional agitation under which he had been suffering, as to amount

to a temporary madness. My friend has alluded to the 'romantic glamour' with which I have sought to invest

this case. Gentleman, I have done nothing of the kind; I have merely shown you the background of life that

palpitating life, which, believe me-whatever my friend may say-always lies behind the commission of

crime".

Frome argues that civilized men like Falder are irresistibly upset by the sight of brutal violence inflicted on a

woman. They get enraged. A flash of darkness, rather an irresponsible condition of the mind, overcomes

them. It is in such a state of temporary madness that most of the peopl~ commit crimes. Suicide is an

example of such a crime. The legal approach to such persons should not be the same as the one towards

regular criminals. They should not be accused of criminal intent, and should be treated as patients.

Frome also pleads about another aspect of the impulsive crime. It is irretrievable. The criminal repents

immediately of what he has done and wants to repay for his crime without any loss of time in a non-legal

manner, but unfortunately he finds no such course open to him.

It is the passionate part of the argument which is the soul of the play. Frome tells the jury :

"Gentlemen, men like the prisoner are destroyed daily under our law for want of that human insight which

sees them as they are, patients and not criminals. If the prisoner be found guilty and treated as though he

were a criminal type, he will, as all experience shows in all probability become one. I beg you not to return a

verdict that may thrust him back into prison and brand him for ever". Frome beautifully remarks:

"Gentlemen, Justice is a machine that, when some-one has once given it the starting push, rolls on itself."

He, then, vehemently asks

"Is this young man to be ground to pieces under this machine for an act which is at the worst was one of the

weaknesses? Is he to become a member of the luckless crews that man those dark, ill-starred ships called

prisons? Is that to be his voyage ……….from which so few return? Or is he to have another chance, to be

still looked on as one who has gone a little astray, but who will come back? "

His appeal is:

........ "Gentlemen, do not ruin this young man! For as a result of those four minutes, ruin, utter and

irretrievable, stares him in the face. He can be saved now. Imprison him as a criminal, and I affirm to you that

he will be lost. He has neither the face nor the manner of one who can survive that terrible ordeal which in

the scales of his criminality and the suffering he has undergone. The latter is ten times heavier already. He

has lain in prison under this charge for more than two months. Is he likely ever to forget that? Imagine the

anguish of his mind during that t.ime. He has had his punishment, gentlemen, you may depend. The rolling

of the chariot-wheels of justice overthis boy began when it was decided to prosecute him. We are now

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already at the second stage. If you permit it to go to the third I would not give-that for him."

It is unfortunate that this humanistic approach to crime and punishment falls flat on deaf ears. The counsel

for the Crown calls Frome's view point a 'bizarre;! defence' According to him, Frome has gone into the by

ways and hedges and given ' a romantic glow' to the whole affair. But he stresses that he has elicited from

the accused the admission that he was not mad when the cheque was handed to Davis. Rejecting the plea

of youth, temptation and the like the counsel for the crown adds fuel to the fire when he says..... "the offence

with which the prisoner is charged is one of the most serious known to our law; and there are certain

features in this case, such as the suspicion which he allowed to rest on his innocent fellow-clerk, and his

relations with this married woman, which will render it difficult for you to attach too much importance to such

pleading." The closing of the Trial scene thus spells doom and damnation of Falder.

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