Justice: Complete Summary

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ACT I – 

Setting: A lawyer’s office in London, July morning.

Summary:

  • William Falder, a young clerk, is secretly helping Ruth Honeywill, a woman suffering from her abusive husband.
  • Ruth comes to the office, desperate. Falder promises to help her and plans to run away with her and her children.
  • To get money, Falder forges a cheque by adding a zero (£9 becomes £90).
  • The forgery is discovered, and Falder is caught.
  • He admits he did it but says it was out of love and desperation.
  • The office boss, James How, decides to call the police.
  • Falder is arrested, even though some people feel sorry for him.

ACT II – 

Setting: A courtroom, three months later (October).

Summary:

  • Falder is on trial for forgery.
  • His lawyer, Frome, argues that Falder was temporarily insane—too emotional and scared to think clearly.
  • Cokeson, Falder’s manager, says he was acting strange on the day of the crime.
  • Ruth gives emotional evidence. She explains how her husband hurt her and how Falder was trying to save her.
  • Falder tells the court that he wasn't thinking properly when he changed the cheque.
  • The judge tells the jury they must decide if Falder was truly insane or guilty.
  • Falder asks the court to protect Ruth’s name from the newspapers.
  • The jury goes to make their decision.

ACT III – 

Setting: A prison, December.

Summary:

  • Falder is now in prison, serving his sentence.
  • He is suffering emotionally. He’s isolated and struggling mentally.
  • The prison system is shown to be cold and mechanical, with little care for his mental health.
  • He talks with the prison governor, doctor, and chaplain—but they all follow strict rules and can’t help much.
  • Falder feels hopeless and tries to harm himself.
  • The prison system doesn’t see him as a human being—just as a criminal to be kept in line.

ACT IV – 

Setting: The same lawyer’s office, two years later, in March.

Summary:

  • Falder is out of prison and returns to ask for a job.
  • He’s changed—nervous, tired, and full of shame.
  • He still wants to live with Ruth and start over.
  • The lawyers refuse to hire him because of his criminal record.
  • Falder is rejected by society. Everyone sees him as a criminal, even though he wants to be better.
  • A policeman comes, believing Falder has broken parole.
  • Out of fear and despair, Falder jumps from a window and dies.
  • Everyone is shocked. The play ends with a feeling of sadness and the question:
    Did society destroy a man who needed help, not punishment?

Message of the Play:

John Galsworthy shows that the justice system can be too harsh and lacks human understanding. Sometimes people make mistakes because of emotional pain, not because they are evil. Society should try to reform and forgive, not just punish and destroy.


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