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PLAYS - FIRST SERIES:
THE SILVER BOX
JOY
STRIFE
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Theme of this first series, in first and last of the plays, seems to be depiction of how justice is skewed by prevalent caste systems of the ambient society, whether feudal or related to financial status in other ways, gender, and more.
The middle one is more complex, along the lines developed in first part of the Forsyte Saga.
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THE SILVER BOX
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The Silver Box, by John Galsworthy.
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Abusive husbands are horrible enough without added trials and travails their wives must face when they make a scene and make the wife lose face socially; but when such a man steals from home of his wife's employer, and suspicion falls on her, because people are unaware he was there, it's much too much.
Galsworthy pairs the offenders across castes - Jones stole from young Barthwick after the latter had snatched a young woman's reticule, and latter has to face his father when the woman comes for her money, even as Mrs Jones is suspected of the theft her husband committed.
And, as if her travails weren't enough, Barthwick senior the employer opines Mrs Jones ought not consider leaving her husband, despite being abused physically. To him, that would be immoral of her! He claims being liberal, but only wishes to avoid prosecuting Jones when chances are his son would be implicated!
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And if these injustices weren't enough, there are the lives children on street because their mother abandoned the family, the father being out of work.
"BARTHWICK. [Speaking behind his hand.] A painful case, Roper; very distressing state of things.
"ROPER. Hundreds like this in the Police Courts."
Galsworthy must have seen such circumstances around commonly, as must everyone of the era; few wrote about it. Most were busy singing paens of glory of the empire that looted India while millions starved to death there.
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Jones catches young Barthwick out.
"JONES. May I ask the gentleman a question?
"MAGISTRATE. Yes—yes—you may ask him what questions you like.
"JONES. Don't you remember you said you was a Liberal, same as your father, and you asked me wot I was?
"JACK. [With his hand against his brow.] I seem to remember——
"JONES. And I said to you, "I'm a bloomin' Conservative," I said; an' you said to me, "You look more like one of these 'ere Socialists. Take wotever you like," you said."
But when Jones refers to Jack stealing the woman's reticule, which is brought out by the court officials, he's hushed.
"JONES. [Stopping and twisting round.] Call this justice? What about 'im? 'E got drunk! 'E took the purse—'e took the purse but [in a muffled shout] it's 'is money got 'im off—JUSTICE!"
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And, Jack having gone scot free while Jones is imprisoned, Barthwick is too short of courage to do justice even to Mrs Jones and her children.
"[The Court is in a stir. ROPER gets up and speaks to the reporter. JACK, throwing up his head, walks with a swagger to the corridor; BARTHWICK follows.]
"MRS. JONES. [Turning to him zenith a humble gesture.] Oh! sir!
"[BARTHWICK hesitates, then yielding to his nerves, he makes a shame-faced gesture of refusal, and hurries out of court. MRS. JONES stands looking after him.]"
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June 03, 2021 - June 04, 2021.
Purchased June 14, 2013.
Kindle Edition, 121 pages
Published May 17th 2012
(first published 1911)
ASIN:- B0084B3H16
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JOY
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Joy, by John Galsworthy.
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Here Galsworthy is close to the very first book in his Forsyte Saga and of Forsyte Chronicles, and in the last one of Forsyte Chronicles, with the exception that the young woman involved is the daughter, Joy, of the married woman here, instead of the niece by marriage that she was in first book of Forsyte Saga - Forsyte Chronicles; in the last one of Forsyte Chronicles, Galsworthy made it simpler with no younger woman involved in the situation.
Joy is slightly more fortunate in being loved, unlike the niece June in Forsyte Saga - Forsyte Chronicles, who lost her fiance to her aunt, and remained single.
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"DICK. But it does. The thing is to look at it as if it was n't yourself. If it had been you and me in love, Joy, and it was wrong, like them, of course [ruefully] I know you'd have decided right. [Fiercely.] But I swear I should have decided wrong. [Triumphantly.] That 's why I feel I understand your Mother."
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"JOY. [In a whisper.] Dick, is love always like this?
"DICK. [Putting his arms around her, with conviction.] It's never been like this before. It's you and me!"
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June 04, 2021 - June 04, 2021.
Purchased June 14, 2013.
Kindle Edition, 92 pages
Published May 17th 2012
(first published June 1st 2004)
Original Title:- Joy
ASIN:- B0084B3PUE
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Strife, by John Galsworthy.
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The play, published in 1909, begins with a discussion amongst management about strikes, and the conversation begins by one asking for a screen for the fire, which, another points out, the strikers wouldn't need. Galsworthy might have written thus with experience of both worlds, in an era when industrial world was beginning to deal with labour consciousness about rights on the rise, at least right to survival.
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"Wasn't the work o' my brains bought for seven hundred pounds, and has n't one hundred thousand pounds been gained them by that seven hundred without the stirring of a finger. It is a thing that will take as much and give you as little as it can. That's Capital! A thing that will say—"I'm very sorry for you, poor fellows—you have a cruel time of it, I know," but will not give one sixpence of its dividends to help you have a better time. That's Capital! ... I looked into his eyes and I saw he was afraid—afraid for himself and his dividends; afraid for his fees, afraid of the very shareholders he stands for; and all but one of them's afraid—like children that get into a wood at night, and start at every rustle of the leaves. I ask you, men—[he pauses, holding out his hand till there is utter silence]—give me a free hand to tell them: "Go you back to London. The men have nothing for you!" [A murmuring.] Give me that, an' I swear to you, within a week you shall have from London all you want."
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"There is only one way of treating "men"—with the iron hand. This half and half business, the half and half manners of this generation, has brought all this upon us. Sentiment and softness, and what this young man, no doubt, would call his social policy. You can't eat cake and have it! This middle-class sentiment, or socialism, or whatever it may be, is rotten. Masters are masters, men are men! Yield one demand, and they will make it six. They are [he smiles grimly] like Oliver Twist, asking for more. If I were in their place I should be the same. But I am not in their place. Mark my words: one fine morning, when you have given way here, and given way there—you will find you have parted with the ground beneath your feet, and are deep in the bog of bankruptcy; and with you, floundering in that bog, will be the very men you have given way to."
"A woman has died. I am told that her blood is on my hands; I am told that on my hands is the starvation and the suffering of other women and of children.
"EDGAR. I said "on our hands," sir.
"ANTHONY. It is the same. [His voice grows stronger and stronger, his feeling is more and more made manifest.] I am not aware that if my adversary suffer in a fair fight not sought by me, it is my fault. If I fall under his feet—as fall I may—I shall not complain. That will be my look-out—and this is—his. I cannot separate, as I would, these men from their women and children. A fair fight is a fair fight! Let them learn to think before they pick a quarrel!"
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"SCANTLEBURY. [Behind his hand to TENCH.] Look after the Chairman! He's not well; he's not well—he had no lunch. If there's any fund started for the women and children, put me down for—for twenty pounds."
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"ROBERTS. Then you're no longer Chairman of this Company! [Breaking into half-mad laughter.] Ah! ha-ah, ha, ha! They've thrown ye over thrown over their Chairman: Ah-ha-ha! [With a sudden dreadful calm.] So—they've done us both down, Mr. Anthony?
"[ENID, hurrying through the double-doors, comes quickly to her father.]
"ANTHONY. Both broken men, my friend Roberts!"
"[ANTHONY rises with an effort. He turns to ROBERTS who looks at him. They stand several seconds, gazing at each other fixedly; ANTHONY lifts his hand, as though to salute, but lets it fall. The expression of ROBERTS'S face changes from hostility to wonder. They bend their heads in token of respect. ANTHONY turns, and slowly walks towards the curtained door. Suddenly he sways as though about to fall, recovers himself, and is assisted out by EDGAR and ENID; UNDERWOOD follows, but stops at the door. ROBERTS remains motionless for several seconds, staring intently after ANTHONY, then goes out into the hall.]"
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May 24, 2021 - May 26, 2021.
Purchased August 12, 2013.
Kindle Edition, 84 pages
Published May 17th 2012
(first published 1909)
ASIN:- B0084B3MXO
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May 24, 2021 - May 26, 2021.
June 03, 2021 - June 04, 2021.
June 04, 2021 - June 04, 2021.
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