JUSTICE
Justify the title of the play ‘Justice’
John Galsworthy chose the title Justice in order to satirize the contemporary social
and legal system of England, which in the name of justice forced the simple and
helpless individuals like Falder and Ruth Honeywill to suffer much and finally perish
in the most inhuman way in this so called civilized society. In this play Galsworthy is
more concerned with the administration of this law in the name of justice and aptly
brings out the sufferings of those who get crushed under the heavy wheels of the
chariot named Justice.
The play is a commentary upon the administration of criminal law in England during
Galsworthy’s time. One of the major issues raised in the play is- “Even if the law is
justly implemented, does it do real justice to the criminal?” while law says that it is
just to all but the punishment given to the criminal is an inhuman one which either
breaks the criminal or transforms him into an animal. In this story the solitary
imprisonment administered to Falder for committing the offence of altering a cheque
of nine pounds to ninety is an important angle in the attempt to find an answer to the
question whether justice given to Falder was indeed a just one?
In the prison the protagonist suffers much, so much so that he becomes both
physically and mentally weak. When he comes out of the prison with a hope that now
his sufferings will come to an end, even this hope gets shattered when he finds that
even bigger pains are waiting for him in the other side of the prison. Falder fee.
utterly crushed. When he had no job Ruth was with him but now when he has been
assured a job, he has to pay a heavy price for it. He has to sacrifice Ruth herself.
Thus he finds that even after release from the prison, he has not been able to
escape the mental agony that he had suffered during his solitary imprisonment.
Justice was done to him by sending him to jail but the rolling wheel of the chariot
named Justice crushes not only him but his beloved Ruth also who has to suffer
much in the cruel hands of the society.
Galsworthy brings out the social system of contemporary England which is so
indifferent towards the individuals. All the tragedy takes place in the lives of two
individuals who had dreamt of having a peaceful life just because of the injustice
done to them in the name of justice. Hence the title Justice becomes appropriate for
the play.
Justice, a drama written by John Galsworthy aimed to bring reforms in the British system of
Justice. The play is not just about bringing reforms in solitary confinement but about the judicial
process and the broader relationship of punishment to crime.
The four-act play revolves around the protagonist William Falder, a young solicitor's clerk, who
embezzled money from his firm to rescue the woman he loves from her unhappy marriage. He is
handed over to the police after he confesses his forgery. The judge, in the trial then sentences
him a three years penal servitude. He has been put in solitary confinement and finds himself to
be a victim of the terrible system. The authorities admit that he is mentally and physically in bad
shape but do nothing to help him.
He was supposed to register himself with the police authorities but he failed to do so and
commits suicide as he thought that he would be put in prison again. The socio-revolutionary
significance of Justice consists the portrayal of the inhuman system that exists between the
crime and punishment awarded for the same.
Galsworthy believed that solitary confinement is a long slow dragging misery, whose worst
moments are necessarily and utterly hidden from ones eyes. Galsworthy knew that he would get
a widespread support from the people as his drama had deeply touched the people. His drama
showed people the reality of a prison life. He helped people realize that celibacy and a
monotonous diet were a severe punishment in itself and when combined with solitude and
absolute silence made it more miserable. He believed that a person could be reformed with
kindness and there was no need for solitude or silence.
Justice impacted and moved a lot of people including Winston Churchill and he was greatly
influenced by the solitary confinement scene in the drama. Churchill had major legislative
changes in mind and considered Galsworthy the most respected of all the people that influenced
him. Churchill's intention as Home Secretary was to carry out a sweeping revision of penal policy
along three main lines of advance: the improvement of prison conditions; the exclusion of petty
offenders from gaol; and the reform of sentencing policy.
Galsworthy was a firm believer that encouraging mental and moral development through
expanded educational facilities was the most effective way to reform a criminal. He suggested
many ways such as copybooks being allowed in the Berlin prison and allowing more
communication with family and friends outside to bring about reforms in the prisoners. He also
suggested that prisoners' aid societies should be linked up into prisoner's labour exchange so
that the prisoners could be employed and wouldn't have to turn to crimes again.
Churchill in 1910 announced certain reforms for reducing the numbers of people sent to prison.
He proposed a wider application of the recently passed Probation of Offenders Act, more time-to-
pay for debtors and fined offenders, and more help for discharged prisoners to keep them from
re-offending. Juveniles would not be committed to prison except for serious offences. Lastly he
announced a reduction in solitary confinement from three months to one month.
This was just one milestone achieved and there were many more yet to be achieved. Later
through a public letter Galsworthy suggested the end in his efforts towards bringing reforms and
the reason for this is unknown.
Justice� might have not led to abolishing separate confinement but is a partial success. Without
the drama reaching politicians, middle classes or the judges; the decision for reducing the
solitary confinement to one month couldn't have been made.
It is shocking to see the relevance and impact of Galsworthy's Justice is the fact that to this day
his drama remains one of the best known examples of such system of justice.
