Poetry · Chapter
Contempt of Court explained
The chapter satirizes Juror Simpson's drunkenness during a trial, contrasting his behavior with the sober Judge Ross, and warns of the judge's impending contempt ruling.
What happens
The chapter satirizes Juror Simpson's drunkenness during a trial, contrasting his behavior with the sober Judge Ross, and warns of the judge's impending contempt ruling.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the speaker’s obsessive pursuit of the divine rose fragrance…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Hypocrisy and Corruption
The juror's drunkenness undermines the ideal of a fair trial, exposing corruption in the justice system.
- Justice and Revenge
The judge's impending contempt ruling suggests a punitive response to the juror's misconduct.
Characters to notice
- Juror Simpson
Got drunk and made a spectacle, failing to serve as a proper peer.
- The Judge
Judge Ross, sober and bookish, is contrasted with the drunken juror and prepares to deliver a contempt ruling.
Key passages
“So, Juror Simpson, you got drunk And was a holy show!”
Juror Simpson became intoxicated and made a spectacle of himself.
Opens the chapter with direct address and mockery of the juror's behavior.
“Judge Ross, who never, never looks On wine when it is red, But sits cold sober cramming books Into his head”
Judge Ross is a teetotaler who spends his time studying law books.
Contrasts the judge's sobriety with the juror's drunkenness.
“But just prepare for something awful In words: That jurist has his jaw full.”
Prepare for a severe verbal reprimand, as the judge is ready to speak his mind.
Foreshadows the judge's contempt ruling against the juror.
