SOURCE: Krueger, Christine L. “Witnessing Women: Trial Testimony in Novels by Tonna, Gaskell, and Eliot.” In Representing Women: Law, Literature, and Feminism, edited by Susan S. Heinzelman and Zipporah B. Wiseman, pp. 337-55. Durham: Duke University Press, 1994.

In the following essay, Krueger offers a comparison of courtroom scenes in novels by Tonna, Elizabeth Gaskell, and George Eliot, discussing in particular the female participants' ability to negotiate self-identity in a patriarchal setting.

“Stuff and nonsense!” said Alice loudly. “The idea of having the sentence first!”

“Hold your tongue!” said the Queen, turning purple.

“I won't!” said Alice.

“Off with her head!” the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.

“Who cares for you?” said Alice (she had grown to her full size by this time). “You're nothing but a pack of cards!”

At this the whole pack rose up in the air, and came flying down...