Second Year English Notes Sindh Board ACT III OF THE SILVER BOX

ACT III OF THE SILVER BOX

(John Galsworthy)

SUMMARY

Act III of the Silver Box, starts from the scene of a court. Two sisters, Maud Livens, and Theresa Livens were found crying on the street. The father was jobless, while the mother had broken the home and gone on the streets. The father was not in a position to look after his daughters. So, he asked the Magistrate, to get his daughters admitted to an orphanage. This was dually done.

After this case, the case of the silver box comes up for hearing. According to the story, Jack Barthwick, son of John Barthwick, MP, took a lady’s purse, under the effect of alcohol on Easter Monday night (at midnight). In this drunken condition, he was looking for the keyhole, on the wrong side of the door; when Mr. Jones (a laborer), who was passing by, helped him to unlock the door. Jack invited Jones in for a drink, and then told him, “take anything you like,” and then went to sleep, on the sofa. Jones, after finishing, his drink, took the silver box and went home.

The next morning, the butler informed John Bathwick about the theft of the silver box. Mrs. Jones, who was a charwoman in the house, was suspected of the theft. Her house was searched by the police and the silver box was found from, the coat packet of Mr. Jones So, the police arrested Mr. and Mrs. Jones and presented them before the court of the Magistrate.

During the proceedings of the case, the Magistrate is bribed by John Bathwick. He then, through his lawyer (Mr. Roper), tells the Magistrate, that considering the poverty (poor) of the prisoners, he does not press the charge (blame) as to the silver box. Perhaps he may deal with Mr. Jones for assaulting (beating) the police and creating violence. The Magistrate punishes Mr. Jones for the theft by sentencing him to one month’s hard labor but releases Mrs. Jones with honor.

Through this play, the author criticises the British Legal System, which was corrupt in the 19^th century. There was one law for the rich and another for the poor Mr. Jones, a poor man is punished, although he is completely innocent. While Jack is let off, although he is guilty of stealing a lady’s purse, simply because he is a rich man’s son.

Quotations by John Galsworthy:

If you do not think about your future, you cannot have one.

One’s eyes are what one is, one’s mouth is what one becomes.

There is one rule for politicians all over the world. Don’t say in Power what you say in opposition; 

If you do, you only have to carry out what the other fellows have found impossible.

Questions Answers

 

Q.1      What purpose, in your opinion, is deserved by beginning this act of the play with the case of the Livens girls, which has nothing to do with the main story?

Ans.     John Galsworthy starts ‘Act III of The Silver Box’ with the case of the Livens girls, which has no direct connection with the case of theft of the silver box. However, this case is highly significant. The Livens are suffering from unemployment, the disintegration of family and homelessness. In fact, they represent hundreds of such cases in the police courts. The deplorable socio-economic conditions of the masses give the reader foretaste of what is going to follow. The Jones children are likely to suffer the same fate when their father will be imprisoned and their mother will be unemployed. Thus, the reader gets the feeling that the faulty legal system will not dispense justice. 

Q.2      Why are Mr. Barth wick and his son so anxious that as little as possible should be said in court about the purse and the little money Jones had in his possession?

Ans.     In Act III of The Silver Box, John Galsworthy presents us with two identical cases of theft in a fit of drunken mischief: Jack Barthwick steals a purse from a woman and James Jones steals the silver cigarette box and the purse. Jack is the son of Mr. Barthwick who is a highly respectable Liberal Member of Parliament whereas Jones is the husband of Mr. Barthwick’s charwoman. Although Mr. Barthwick has brought the case of Jones’s theft to the court, he is anxious that his son’s crime should not be talked about at all because his reputation is at stake. Any legal proceedings against his son will surely bring social ruin on him.

Q.3      Briefly discuss whether the Magistrate gives Jones a fair trial?

                                                                            OR
            Was justice done to Jones? Explain.

Ans.     It appears that James Jones was not given a fair trial. In Act III of The Silver Box, John Galsworthy presents us with two identical cases of theft in a fit of drunken mischief: Jack Barthwick steals a purse from a woman and James Jones steals the silver cigarette box and the purse. As a matter of fact, both Jones and Jack should have been treated equal treatment, but Jack’s father who is a Liberal Member of Parliament was able to hush up his son’s crime whereas poverty-stricken Jones is sentenced to one month in prison with hard labor.

Q3: What function is Mr. Roper discharging in the magistrate’s court? 

Ans. Mr. Roper is on the side of Barthwick. He accompanied Barthwick on the court.

Q4: What facts does Marlow’s evidence establish?

Ans. Thomas Marlow who is the butler of Mr. Barthwick informs the court that the silver cigarette box belonged to Mr. Barthwick. He also tells that it was missing and he had informed his employer about it. He confirms that Mr. Jones is also the charwoman of Mr. Barthwick.  He informs the court that the silver box was placed on the dining room table on the night of Easter.

Q5: From the constable’s evidence we learn that Mrs. Jones was the first to be charged with the theft. Why was this so?

Ans. From the constable’s evidence, we learn that Mr. Jones is the first to be punished because she is the charwoman of Mr. Barthwick. It is thought that without her help the theft is by no mean possible. She was suspected to have stolen the box so she was the first to be charged with it.

Q6: What led the constable to arrest and charge Jones as well?

Ans. The police started an investigation and discovered the silver box from the house of Jones. Police arrested Mr. Jones and when she was being taken to police station Mr. Jones interrupted the police and said that she was innocent and it was he who had stolen the silver box. When the police did not release her he struck the constable and in this way, he was also arrested with his wife.

Q7: Briefly give the probable reasons for the magistrate’s decision to discharge Mrs. Jones.

Ans. The magistrate discharged Mrs. Jones because Mr. Barthwick declared that he did not press the charge as to the silver box. Mr. Jones record was also so clear in the court that there was nothing against her from the statement of Mr. Jones it was obvious that he allowed Jones to his house and she had nothing to do in the case. Her husband had also pleaded guilty to stealing the box.

Q9: Assuming that Jones has received a fair trial, why does this act of the play leave us with a feeling that injustice has been done?

Ans. This act of the play leaves us that injustice has been done because jack one the influential man’s son goes free although he had committed an identical crime .the part of the evidence that could go against him was not recorded. In spite of the fact that Mr. Jones had nothing in the case, she lost her job who as the only mean of the children.

Q10: What do you imagine to be the unspoken plea that Mrs. Jones makes to Mr. Barthwick at the very end?

Ans. At the end when magistrate announced the decision and Jones were declared to be the guilty. Everybody rise to go home. Mrs. Jones turns to his bags with the humble gesture. It was the sign that she wanted to continue her job but Barthwick hesitates and hurries out of the court.