Not many playwrights possess an outlook of one wise spectator while penning their stories. Honestly, most dramatists act as a propagandist in depicting the plot of their wordy creations. However, John Galsworthy’s neutrality in portraying prevalent social problems opens up his impartial outlook bathed in a faint mist of partiality to some extent.
Galsworthy’s social tragedies like Loyalties, Strife, and Justice are indeed powerful studies that depict social ills, which are breathing in human society.These tragic dramas bear the courage to exhibit the valor of producing a dramatist’s outspoken opinions on some specific social affairs. And, this trait, no doubt, presents John Galsworthy’s neutrality as natural artistry. For sure, this impartial nature acts as the working force of the playwright to portray things as they are.
In his social tragedies, John Galsworthy never hesitates to approach dispassionately to address various acute social problems and typical tendencies. He discloses the viewpoints of both the plaintiff and the defendant. His words in the plays identify him as a wise spectator as well as a judge to review the social affairs visible in human society.
In a word, the dramatist maintains a neutral attitude towards social problems and review every point that comes before him without unveiling his desire to favor a particular side of the contestant parties.
Galsworthy’s attempt to maintain an impartial attitude in addressing the prevalent social affairs is evident in his plays. In his play Loyalties, he presents different social leanings through the judge’s neutral perception. In Justice, his genuine sympathy for the judge Mr. James How is present whereas ‘Strife’ uncovers the conflict between the labor and the capital. However, the playwright shows no inclination towards any side. His sole aim is to portray the devastating outcome of the uncompromising conflict between the labor and the capital.
It is indeed true that John Galsworthy has strived to establish an unbiased view through his words regarding all conflicts ruling in social life. But, after all the above discussion, a million-dollar question is whether he has succeeded fully in preserving the neutrality. Because the minute review of every corner of the tragic plays ultimately reveals a faint mist of bias or partisanship to some extent in John Galsworthy’s neutrality.
Galsworthy’s partisanship emerges through some sudden occasions taking place in his plays and some casual conversation as well as observation of some specific characters. In Loyalties, the dramatist has pointed out the faults existing in the prejudiced society. With a fair argument, he has silently pointed out the dangerous outcomes of sticking narrowly to a specific social prejudice.
Also, in the play Justice, the arguments of the defense lawyer demonstrate John Galsworthy’s criticism of the so-called justice system. The faulty, brutal prison administration and the ruthless system of solitary confinement are badly exposed in the play. To be honest, the playwright painfully draws how the so-called perfect justice system and the biased social mentality possess the tendency to punish the guilty. For sure, the whole system is devoid of the human conscience.
One thing is clear from the above review that it is difficult for a person with a human conscience to keep his eyes shut towards the burning issues of the legal system and social ills. That means maintaining complete neutrality is a hard task to perform. And, as a human being with human conscience, Galsworthy, somehow or other, has ultimately given out his opinions that reveal his partial nature even in his impartial attitude.
Galsworthy’s spontaneity in artistry does not make him a propagandist like many other dramatists. However, his inclination towards some specific views is noted.
There is no denying that partiality is present in Galsworthy’s views with an artistic touch, which in other words, a feature of the dramatic art. And, there is no question of awkwardness in displaying partisanship in the form of faint mist as it is visible in John Galsworthy’s neutrality.
