Monologue

Cokeson Monologue from Justice

From Justice by John Galsworthy

male · anguished · 1:42 min

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Like this. The woman had a nahsty, spiteful feller for a husband, and she'd left him. Fact is, she was going away with our young friend. It's not nice--but I've looked over it. Well, when he was put in here she said she'd earn her living apart, and wait for him to come out. That was a great consolation to him. But after a month she came to me--I don't know her personally--and she said: "I can't earn the children's living, let alone my own--I've got no friends. I'm obliged to keep out of everybody's way, else my husband'd get to know where I was. I'm very much reduced," she said. And she has lost flesh. "I'll have to go in the workhouse!" It's a painful story. I said to her: "No," I said, "not that! I've got a wife an' family, but sooner than you should do that I'll spare you a little myself." "Really," she said--she's a nice creature--"I don't like to take it from you. I think I'd better go back to my husband." Well, I know he's a nahsty, spiteful feller--drinks--but I didn't like to persuade her not to.

About this piece

Cokeson reflects on a woman's difficult situation as she struggles to support her children while her husband is imprisoned, revealing his inner conflict about helping her.

40s · sadness · isolation · family · sacrifice · redemption

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