The Rising of the Court

"The Rising of the Court" by Henry Lawson is a compilation of late 19th-century stories that paints a stark picture of the legal system. It tells of downtrodden people—like Mrs. Johnson and One-Eyed Kate—caught in its gears and the struggles they face. The scene is a cramped and squalid courtroom, filled with those on the margins of society. A jaded but hopeful narrator watches it all, sharing thoughts on the desperate people he sees: drunkards, impoverished women, and others. Lawson uses sharp words and strong images to show the human side of those often ignored, weaving a narrative that shows both social problems and the will to survive.