Theme of Justice in Literature Essay Example

In classic literature, many authors explore the tentative relationship between the nature of justice and the delivery of that justice, defining the flaws of man as the characters are succumbed to fear and the unknown. The idea of justice when it meets with these flaws of humanity spreads immoral ideals and creates brutality as man deems it his duty to bring swift retribution to wrongdoing. In the eyes of these characters, they believe they are acting through justice but in actuality, they acting through injustice. This idea of savage vengeance over civil equity due to the shortcoming of civilization is key in many written works - such as The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, King Lear, and The Crucible - as so-called justice served through violence questions whether or not humans are capable of bringing true fair judgment and if they have the right to do so. 

When faced with violence, it is human nature to respond with further violence. In classic works, when characters encounter such violence and ferocity of body or mind, they follow this human pattern, seeing justice blindly as the belittling or physical punishment of the accused instead of fair-minded ruling. In The Great Gatsby, the death of Myrtle starts this chain of injustice over justice as Tom, to who Myrtle was a mistress, blames her death on Gatsby, as it was his car that hit her. Instead of waiting to understand what truly happened - as Gatsby was not at fault for her death - Tom responds with violence, taking it as his responsibility to bring retribution instead of justice. “‘You may fool me but you can’t fool God!...God sees everything’” he states. The inability of clear thought for Tom in times of struggle and death leads us to wonder whether the emotional state of human beings makes us susceptible to the overpowering influence of injustice. Moreover, in King Lear, the scene in which Gloucester’s eyes are gouged out reveals again the tendency to ignore the law and justice for self-satisfaction in taking revenge. Gloucester’s treatment of his illegitimate son Edmund and his acts of treason against Regan and Goneril consequently leads to his blinding despite not having a proper trial. “Though well we may not pass upon his life; Without the form of justice, yet our power; Shall do a court’sy to our wrath, which men May blame but not control” This quote from Cornwall shows that they do not have legal justification for killing Gloucester, but through their wrath and need for vengeance, they decide to violently mutilate Gloucester, highlighting the unjust nature of humankind. The need to get revenge on those who have wronged you overpowers the abilities of justice, which is explored throughout the literature. While these examples may be extreme, they communicate how integrity and morality in making judgments are repressed with the need for retaliation, making justice challenging to achieve.

Even when punishment is determined by law, this doesn’t immediately make the ruling just or fair, as explored in The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible, again questioning whether or not we have the capacity to bring true justice. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is punished for committing adultery, being forced to wear a scarlet A, a symbol that brings upon her shame among the townspeople. Hester’s punishment reveals how in puritan society if you do not conform to traditional values, you are shunned from the rest of society, which is an unjust use of law to belittle those who hold different values. Similar to The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible also emphasizes how the law can be used for revenge over justice. Characters Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam pretend to be possessed by witchcraft and take advantage of the superstitious town and the flaws in the law system to get vengeance on those in the town who wronged them. While the law is usually considered to be a part of the enforcement of justice, in these literary works the authors explore the exploitation of the law to enact inequity and hostility towards others. Additionally, these examples ponder the capacity for true justice in life and if we deserve the entitlement to make such decisions.

Many classic works of literature examine whether or not justice is possible in a society fueled by human flaws, as they base decisions on emotions instead of logic and take advantage of the law to enact revenge. While these works are set in time periods of the past, their ideas are still applicable today in real life as many question how just our justice system really is. Perhaps looking toward writing is the key to understanding the influence of injustice and how is can best be avoided for a fair, moral future.