Blog Assignment #6: Iconic Images as Tropes

I chose the Scales of Justice (also referred to as Lady Justice) because I am on the pre law track and hoping to get into law school in the near future. The Scales of Justice balances truth and fairness, dating back to Ancient Egypt and the Goddess of Maat. This iconic image ultimately represents the field of law. Courthouses all over the nation use this image as decor. The scale represents the impartiality that exists in the criminal justice system. The iconic image came from the famous female Goddess sculpture of Justitia. The statue depicts the Goddess holding a sword in one hand and scales in the other, often depicted with a blindfold. The sword represents power of reason and justice which applies to both sides of the trial. In addition, the scales represent the strengths of the case’s support and opposition.  During the 16^th century artists began portraying the statue blindfolded to show that justice is not subject to influence and instead should be a common set of natural laws. In the West, the Scales of Justice is represented differently. Some of the distinct characteristics of the Western representation of the statue include: not being blindfolded, carries a sword and scales, mature like a wise person (simile), no longer commonly known as Themis, and she symbolizes the fair and equal administration of the law. The underlying meaning continues to be fairness and avoiding the corruption of law. Although The Scales of Justice has multiple representations, at a glance, most people relate it to law in general. A metaphor is created by using the sword and scales to illustrate the impartiality that exists in law. The stoic facial expressions are compared to the seriousness of law and how laws have become concrete over the years.