From: "Dana Shilling" dshilling@worldnet.att.net To: "nublake" blakes7@lists.lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Travis on trial Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2001 01:36:27 -0400
Jacqui said:
Is the argument Travis uses at his trial it a 'far more sophisticated'
version of Par's 'only obeying orders' or is it something else? His justification and the response could be used in a discussion of political theory/military studies. I'd call it naive--he should know that the essence of being the
"government"
is that you get to decide what is "warfare" and what is an "atrocity" as
well
as deciding what's a crime and what isn't. "A dog's obeyed in office" (Shakespeare definitely, King Lear I think.)
Actually, I don't recall that line being in Lear, anybody else know?
As for the question, I really don't think Travis *could* be that naive. He's an experienced solider, and cannot be unaware that "warfare" in the Federation involves mass murder of civilians. Travis was not following orders; he was obeying a social norm, and as such his actions are not naive in that he knows exactly what he is doing and that in the Federation, a soldier does these things.
Furthermore, Travis is not unaware that he is being put on trial not because he committed mass murder of a civilian population, but because Servalan, for her own very good reasons, wants him dead. Travis' court-martial is a total sham. Being the sort of man he is, Travis is not prepared to go quietly, he intends to expose them for what they are: Hypocrites and fools. Travis is the hero of "Trial," not because he's suddenly become good, but because the Federation is so evil they make him look like a babe in arms, and this is essentially what his defense suggests: as a soldier, he has to do evil things, but he has done nothing to compare with what Servalan and the others behind desks have done.
As I said in my earlier post, the Travis case is dealt with much better than I can do in Alan Stevens and Jim Smiths' respective articles in Zenith, and in the brilliant audiotape, Travis: The Final Act (all current copies signed by Peter Miles and Brian Croucher)-- both available from Judith Proctor's website (Plug, plug).
Fiona
The Posthumous Memoirs of Secretary Rontane Death throes, nothing more at http://nyder.r67.net
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On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, Fiona Moore wrote:
From: "Dana Shilling" dshilling@worldnet.att.net deciding what's a crime and what isn't. "A dog's obeyed in office" (Shakespeare definitely, King Lear I think.)
Actually, I don't recall that line being in Lear, anybody else know?
'King Lear' Act 4 Scene 6
KING LEAR
What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark, in thine ear: change places; and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar?
GLOUCESTER
Ay, sir.
KING LEAR
And the creature run from the cur? There thou mightst behold the great image of authority: a dog's obeyed in office.
Iain
-
Fiona Moore -
Iain Coleman