The Silver Box: A Comedy in Three Acts

by John Galsworthy, John Hampden (Notes)

John Galsworthy OM (1867-1933) was an English novelist and playwright. He is viewed as one of the first writers of the Edwardian era; challenging in his works some of the ideals of society depicted in the preceeding literature of Victorian England. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1932. Notable works include The Forsyte Saga (1906-1921) and its sequels, A Modern Comedy and End of the Chapter. From the Four Winds was Galsworthy's first published work in 1897, a collection of short stories. These, and several subsequent works, were published under the pen name John Sinjohn and it would not be until The Island Pharisees (1904) that he would begin publishing under his own name. His first play, The Silver Box (1906) became a success, and he followed it up with The Man of Property (1906), the first in the Forsyte trilogy. Along with other writers of the time such as Shaw his plays addressed the class system and social issues, two of the best known being Strife (1909) and The Skin Game (1920).

Genres: Plays, Drama, Classics, Fiction, British Literature

76 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2011

About the author

Literary career of English novelist and playwright John Galsworthy, who used John Sinjohn as a pseudonym, spanned the Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian eras.

In addition to his prolific literary status, Galsworthy was also a renowned social activist. He was an outspoken advocate for the women's suffrage movement, prison reform and animal rights. Galsworthy was the president of PEN, an organization that sought to promote international cooperation through literature.

John Galsworthy was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1932 "for his distinguished art of narration which takes its highest form in The Forsyte Saga."

Reviews

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for a drama exam as I was playing the character of Jones. Would probably not have read something like this: a play about class divides set in the early 1900s; I am glad I did, however.

Very fast paced and quite short compared to, say, Shakespearean plays, but the message it brought home was well constructed. The fact that Jack and Jones are in fact very similar characters but both end up facing similar fates was written well. Might have been better if I understood the politics of the time however, as the party names didn't mean much to me, but seemed to be meant as labels for the characters to show their hypocrisy.

One scene that particularly stood out was in the middle of the play, when the Jones children are heard crying outside the window. Mrs Barthwick says she "hates the sound of children crying" and you think she is about to ask them in, like some kind Dickensian hero... but instead she asks her husband to close the window. Before she dismissed her charwoman, Mrs. Jones, on account of her having the first of those children out of wedlock, when it is implied it might have been rape. The irony that becoming pregnant child is seen as worse as not caring for the children, especially when Barthwick is very wealthy, seems to be lost on her. For the time, it seems to be very forward-thinking.

Overall a good read, and a fairly short one at that. Especially recommend if you are interested in early 1900s politics or the class divide.

[Mariangel · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was reading Ethel Barrymore's Memories: An Autobiography, I took note of the plays she performed and this is one of them. This is the newspaper review of her performance, with photos.

The play is a social commentary about a poor man and a rich man who get drunk and commit theft, and how the situation is dealt with by their families and the judge.

[MOULEE · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Galsworthy's Silver box criticises the judiciary system during Edwardian period. How the 'idea of principles' are differ from upper class people and the lower class people.
This kind of discrimination is still happening in our society.

[Audiobook Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbCI...

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

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The Silver Box, by John Galsworthy.
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Abusive husbands are horrible enough without added trials and travails their wives must face when they make a scene and make the wife lose face socially; but when such a man steals from home of his wife's employer, and suspicion falls on her, because people are unaware he was there, it's much too much.

Galsworthy pairs the offenders across castes - Jones stole from young Barthwick after the latter had snatched a young woman's reticule, and latter has to face his father when the woman comes for her money, even as Mrs Jones is suspected of the theft her husband committed.

And, as if her travails weren't enough, Barthwick senior the employer opines Mrs Jones ought not consider leaving her husband, despite being abused physically. To him, that would be immoral of her! He claims being liberal, but only wishes to avoid prosecuting Jones when chances are his son would be implicated!
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And if these injustices weren't enough, there are the lives children on street because their mother abandoned the family, the father being out of work.

"BARTHWICK. [Speaking behind his hand.] A painful case, Roper; very distressing state of things.

"ROPER. Hundreds like this in the Police Courts."

Galsworthy must have seen such circumstances around commonly, as must everyone of the era; few wrote about it. Most were busy singing paens of glory of the empire that looted India while millions starved to death there.
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Jones catches young Barthwick out.

"JONES. May I ask the gentleman a question?

"MAGISTRATE. Yes—yes—you may ask him what questions you like.

"JONES. Don't you remember you said you was a Liberal, same as your father, and you asked me wot I was?

"JACK. [With his hand against his brow.] I seem to remember——

"JONES. And I said to you, "I'm a bloomin' Conservative," I said; an' you said to me, "You look more like one of these 'ere Socialists. Take wotever you like," you said."

But when Jones refers to Jack stealing the woman's reticule, which is brought out by the court officials, he's hushed.

"JONES. [Stopping and twisting round.] Call this justice? What about 'im? 'E got drunk! 'E took the purse—'e took the purse but [in a muffled shout] it's 'is money got 'im off—JUSTICE!"
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And, Jack having gone scot free while Jones is imprisoned, Barthwick is too short of courage to do justice even to Mrs Jones and her children.

"[The Court is in a stir. ROPER gets up and speaks to the reporter. JACK, throwing up his head, walks with a swagger to the corridor; BARTHWICK follows.]

"MRS. JONES. [Turning to him zenith a humble gesture.] Oh! sir!

"[BARTHWICK hesitates, then yielding to his nerves, he makes a shame-faced gesture of refusal, and hurries out of court. MRS. JONES stands looking after him.]"
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[Suhasini Srihari · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Silver Box" is a simple play which reminds the reader about the English legal system, and how it has been corrupted. Galsworthy criticizes the English legal system in England, he declares how the poor faced the cruelty in the court of law where he hoped for justice. As a matter of fact, Galsworthy has succeeded to condemn English society in general and the English legal system in particular. It was indeed a fairly fast read. However, the language bears a lot of short forms, and it becomes too boring to solve the words and then move ahead with the play!

[David Purdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both thought-provoking and entertaining, this play includes well-developed characters, an engaging plot, and some worthwhile social commentary. John Galsworthy's juxtaposition of two people from different social classes who have committed very similar crimes illuminates how the law inconspicuously treats people differently depending on their class, while normally being blind to the discrimination. This play is more than a century old, yet its themes sadly retain their relevance.

[Ahil Kannan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great social play that talks about the class discrimination by the plot. A short play indeed and the contacts are very sharply sketched only to serve their purpose. The irony of the law is obvious. The author has written this from the settings and conditions of the then England which was socially divided.

[Lamia · Rating 1 out of 5]

that book is amazing

[Kenneth Igiri]

brilliant piece of work from the 20th century. Writing is certainly an artform!

[Susan Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting play on society and discrimination thereof.

[Cliff Baechle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite taking place a century ago, the story of this play is as current as today's headlines.

[Scull17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well over a hundred years later since Galsworthy wrote this and society, poverty, and the court system are still basically the same.