The Trial of Authority: A Play

Backdrop: Ms. Scholar is a young lady who began her journey through college in late August. She was studious, yet she faced many obstacles outside of her studies some, involving Mrs. Monitor who persistently caused her issues, the Storm that broke her spirit for a while, a Leech that she couldn’t treat, but she found assistance with all of her troubles from Mr. and Mrs. Advisor.  

Narrator: The scene now opens in a courtroom where the prosecutor and defendant are waiting to give their testimony and to question the witnesses. The room is in dead silence as the defendant is brought into the court, but suddenly there is a gasp from one of the jureers.

Jureer 1: “Why is she here?”

Judge: “Order in the court. We are here for the trial of Ms. Scholar verses Mr. Monitor. Now, will the prosecution please tell the court what Mrs. Monitor is being charged with at this time?”

Prosecution: “Mrs. Monitor is being prosecuted for being overbearing, nagging, and intrusion of privacy like a tyrant. That is all.”

Judge: “Thank you, Prosecution. Will Ms. Scholar please step forward and take the stand to tell her testimony of the past three months?”

Narrator: Ms. Scholar calmly rises and takes the stand after being sworn in.

Ms. Scholar: “Please listen carefully and feel free to take notes if that will help you connect the last three months events together. I have known Mrs. Monitor my whole life. She has been there for me anytime I needed her and I’m very thankful for her willingness to aid me in my life. However, I am no longer a babe and I wish to go out on my own with assistance from her only when I request it. I don’t wish for us to be like the, ‘Young [that] are the spitting images of their elders and com- / pete with them in words and deeds, while the old [are]... / imitating the young for fear of being thought disagreeable and masterful’ (Plato 563a5-5b). I love advice, don’t get me wrong. But, it has become my time in life to be independent. College has taught me many great lessons including: I don’t know everything because I don’t understand everything that I’ve been taught and it has taught me I can’t rely on mom and dad to handle the ‘big people’ business in my life. Most importantly though, it has taught me that I have to put my big people pants on, peal the Leech off my hand that is holding me back from my potential, and be responsible for myself. This is the main reason I have brought charges against Mrs. Monitor. She doesn’t allow me enough space and freedom to practice what college has endeavoured to instruct me to do.

I talked with Mr. and Mrs. Advisor, trusted individuals in my life, to see if it was really necessary to bring this to court. We were able to establish that it was necessary because we found out you, Mrs. Monitor, ‘Very secretly you were putting a check on me,’ through the help of my Leech and one of its friends (Augustine 66). This ‘check’ has aided you in pinpointing my every move down to the minute, but also aided in what you didn’t desire to do and that’s discourage me and cause resentment. I don’t exactly understand why you can’t believe that I have learned, ‘The avoidance of wrongdoing and even the thought of it…’ (Aurelius 3).

The only issue I am still currently struggling with ‘wrongdoing’ is with the Storm that is continually breaking me because I keep going back to it. I always get lost in its lines and spaces and in turn speak falsely.”

Narrator: Currently, Ms. Scholar is sobbing because of the overwhelming emotions that she has just released that have been captive in her fragile heart for the last few months. The room is uneasy for several moments as they can’t decide how to proceed with the case. The gases in the room shift from Ms. Scholar to Mrs. Monitor as she stands and addresses the Judge.

Mrs. Monitor: “Your Honor, may I speak for a moment? I know this is not typically how a session proceeds, but I have something important to say to Ms. Scholar.”

Judge: “You may proceed.”

Mrs. Monitor: Thank you, your Honor. Ms. Scholar, I had no idea I was hindering you in the ways you have stated. I’m truly sorry and I see know that I am guilty of your charges. I wish to ask if we can make a compromise. Will you drop the charges and the sentence I would receive, if I agree to back down and allow you to make your own decisions ,and like said you wanted, for me to only interject when you request for guidance from your elder friend?”

Narrator: Ms. Scholar turns to her lawyer and speaks quietly with her for a moment, then turns back to the court and makes her statement.

Ms. Scholar: “I think that’s a fair deal to make.”

Mrs. Monitor: “My only other request is that you will, ‘Wear great learning lightly,’ as you continue to master new material (Aurelius 4). I request this to reiterate a point you made earlier today, you don’t know everything, which means you aren’t the wisest person. So, please feel free to contact me anytime for counseling or help.”

Ms. Scholar: “Thank you. I will do my best to fulfill your request.”

Narrator: Ms. Scholar now turn to the Judge.

Ms. Scholar: Your Honor and the Court, I’m really sorry I requested for this case to come this far for us to settle it without the need of your assistance. I pray that the court sees that to be a tyrant is to think you are doing good, but to whom the good is being done isn’t always the one who is being helped. That is all I have to say.”

Judge: “ Court is dismissed.”

Work Cited

Augustine, Saint. Confessions. Translated by Henry Chadwick, Oxford University Press Inc., Reprint 2008.

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. Translated by Martin Hammond, Penguin Publishing, 2006.

Plato. Republic. Translated by C.D.C. Reeve, Hackett Publishing, 2004.