Reply To: Do you think justice was done?Â
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Justice for a woman in the male dominant society of the time would not have been possible. “Most judges rule by common sense, but some by partiality.” No investigation per se or very limited investigation. Just a person’s denial of involvement. If there was no witness, there was no proof. “And to charge a man with a capital crime without any evidence is a difficult thing.” “Martha wept for every other woman who lives, suffers, and dies by the mercurial whims of men.” But, in the end, it is Martha who uses Revenge (Ephraim’s wicked, curved blade) to save herself from rape by North and provide a semblance of justice for Rebecca. Her intent “was to maim, not kill. To teach him a permanent lesson. To ensure that he had one less weapon with which to wound the woman of this world.” Biblical justice. An eye for an eye. Burgess’ death is like frontier justice. When Ephraim cleaned the mill, he put the severed penis in a box and took it to Rebecca Foster, telling her “it isn’t much as far as justice goes. But it’s better than nothing.”