English 2nd Year Notes
Q1. What purpose, in your opinion, is served 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 has begun this act of the play with the case of Livens girls The case of the Livens girls has no direct connection with the actual play, but it is highly significant in this respect that it gives the reader foretaste of what is going to follow. The English legal system was faulty, and the poor had so put up with a lot of injustice. What the Livens girls have to suffer the Jones children will have to suffer when their father will go to prison and mother became unemployed.
Q2. Why are Mr. Barthwick and his son so anxious that as little as possible should be said in court about the purse and the money that Jones had in his possession?
Ans. Mr. Barthwick and his son Jack are very anxious to say as little as possible about the purse and money that Jones had in his possession because Jones and Jack had done the same identical crime, If this thing is disclosed and comes on the record, a fresh case against Jack may be registered which may cause bad name and insult to the rich family. Mr. Barthwick gives clear instruction to his advocate “Roper! The purse must be kept out of the papers. Whatever happens you must keep that out of the papers. (Roper nods)
Q3. What function Mr. Roper is discharging in the magistrate’s court?
Ans. Mr. Roper is a lawyer engaged by Mr. Barthwick. His purpose of engaging was that the base of crime should not be known to the public. Otherwise, the good name of Mr. Barthwick would be degraded in the eyes of the people.
Q4. What facts does Marlowe’s evidence establish?
Ans. Following facts are established with the evidence of Marlowe who is a butler to Mr. Barthwick, Liberal Member of British Parliament:
a) The silver cigarette box belonged to Mr. Barthwick. He placed it on the dinning room table between 10:45 and 11:00 pm. On the right of Easter Monday.
b) He confirmed that the lady prisoner — Mrs. Jones, was charwoman in the house of Mr. Barthwick at 6, Rocking ham Gate.
c) When, Marlowe went to remove the tray the next morning, he found Mrs. Jones alone in the room and the silver box was missing.
d) He communicated the loss to the employer, Mr. Barthwick sent Marlowe to register a case of theft against Mrs. Jones.(educationsight.blogspot.com)
Q5. From the constable’s evidence we learn that Mrs. Jones was the first to a charged with the theft. Why was this so?
Ans. A police constable went into the house of Jones to inquire about the theft. The police recovered the stolen box from Jones house. Jones along with his innocent wife, who was employed in the house of Jack, was arrested. She was arrested because police thought, it is through her the box was stolen. It was natural that suspicion should fall upon the woman who works in her house.
Q6. What lid the constable to arrest and charge Jones as well?
Ans. After searching, police recovered the silver cigarette box from the house of Mr. and Mrs. Jones. The case was registered against Mrs. Jones, when the police arrested her, Mr. Jones stopped in the performance of their duty. He many times said that he had taken the box, his wife was innocent but the police did not realize her. So he became violent and struck a blow to the police officer. For this reasons, he was also charged and arrested by the Police.
Q7. Briefly give the probable reasons for the magistrate’s decision to discharge Mrs. Jones?
Ans. The probable reasons for the magistrate’s decision to discharge Mrs. Jones are given as under:
a) Mr. Barthwick declared through Roper, the lawyer, that he did not wish to proceed the case, seeing the poverty and circumstances of the prisoners.
b) It was proved that Mrs. Jones was really innocent, she had no involvement what so ever in the theft of the box.
c) Mr. Jones confessed his guilt that he had taken the silver box as well as the purse in drunken state.
Q8. Briefly discuss whether the magistrate gives Jones a fair trail.
Ans. It is very clear from the proceedings, behavior of the court and the magistrate that he does not give Jones a fair trail. He has done no more than what Mr. Jack has done, he is not punished for his power and poor Jones is punished, the magistrate replies that he is not concerned with that Mr. Jack may or may not have taken, why did he resist the police in the execution of their duty? It is evident; he is not ready to listen against rich family which is not justified.
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 with a feeling that injustice has been done to Jones and his family because our sympathies are with the three children of Mr. and Mrs. Jones that they have been deprived of their only means of subsistence and livelihood. Mr. Jones has been sent to prison, Mrs. Jones has lost her job, who will look after and provide them food and clothing.
Q10. What do you imagine to be the unspoken plea that Mrs. Jones makes to Mr. Barthwick at the very end?
Ans. After the case against Mr. Jones is disposed off by the magistrate, Mr. Barthwick goes out of the court room; Mrs. Jones turns to him with a humble gesture. It is her unspoken request for continuing her job as a charwoman with Barthwick. But he gives response to his nerves and in a hesitating manner, makes a gesture of refusal.
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