Lady Justice holds scales to represent the impartiality of the court's decisions and a sword as a symbol of the power of justice.
Finally, the sword represents a sense of authority and power and that justice can be administered quickly and in its final manner. Lady Justice holding the Scales of Justice has been, and will continue to be, an important figure for justice systems all over the world.
Over time, Justice became associated with scales to represent impartiality and a sword to symbolize power. During the 16th century, Justice was often portrayed with a blindfold.
A sword of justice is a ceremonial sword that is used to signify a monarch's supreme judicial power. In some cases, this may have been an executioner's sword that was no longer used for executions, becoming instead a ceremonial one.
Lady Justice is a well-known symbol of our justice system. She proudly holds scales, which represent the weighing of evidence on its own merit. There is a snake at her feet that represents evil, and a book that represents the Constitution from which our justice system was born.
For example, atop the Old Bailey courthouse in London, a statue of Lady Justice stands without a blindfold; the courthouse brochures explain that this is because Lady Justice was originally not blindfolded, and because her "maidenly form" is supposed to guarantee her impartiality which renders the blindfold redundant.
Justitia is depicted holding “a double-edged sword in her right [hand] (which tropes the outcome of those deliberations, for or against the litigating parties)” (Goscilo, 2010). In the double-edged sword, we find two embedded meanings: 1) A sword that represents the enforcement of justice or judgment.
No matter how she is painted, drawn or otherwise depicted, her eyes are always covered so that she cannot be influenced by the person being judged and thus does not fall prey to prejudice or corruption.
More About Symbols
Lady Justice's sword shows authority, including the power to punish injustice. It also implies being able to cut through obstacles to get to the facts of a case. The balance (scales) represent weighing facts and evidence to decide a verdict. It also shows her duty to restore balance to society.
The sword symbolizes power, protection, authority, strength, and courage; metaphysically, it represents discrimination and the penetrating power of the intellect. The sword is phallic, with the sheath being yonic. It is a symbol of knighthood and chivalry.
From the dawn of civilization, justice has been conceptualized as a divinity linked to the cosmic order, but it is from the Greek and Roman goddesses of Justice that today's iconic symbol derives. In Greek mythology, the goddesses of justice are Themis and her daughter DikÍ, also known as Astraea.
History of Lady Justice
For Greeks, there was Themis, the Greek goddess of justice, law, order, and good counsel. Themis uses the scales of justice to always remain balanced and pragmatic.
Sword: This item symbolizes enforcement and respect, and means that justice stands by its decision and ruling, and is able to take action. The fact that the sword is unsheathed and very visible is a sign that justice is transparent and is not an implement of fear.
Lady Justice tattoos are a dramatic sight and often incredibly powerful! She is an iconic image in law and morality across the globe! Lady Justice a symbol and image of the moral force in judicial systems, she is the amalgamation of the Roman goddess of Justice Iustitia and her Greek equivalent Themis, among others.
Themis, (Greek: “Order”) in Greek religion, personification of justice, goddess of wisdom and good counsel, and the interpreter of the gods' will.
This expression means that justice is impartial and objective. There is an allusion here to the Greek statue for justice, wearing a blindfold so as not to treat friends differently from strangers, or rich people better than the poor ones.
The meaning of the symbolism depends on the context. Under certain circumstances, the unbalanced scales are said to represent weighing the merits of one side against the other, with the understanding a fair judgment will give credence to one set of facts over another.
Goddess of justice is kept blindfolded at courts to represent or symbolise unbiased justice. She wields a balance in one hand and a sword in the other. The balance signifies that she weighs pieces of evidence and facts of the case to arrive at the judgement. The sword symbolises that justice shall be fast and final.
One of the most recognized legal symbols is that of Justice. The idea of a woman portraying justice dates back to the ancient Greek and Roman images ofThemis and Justitia. her clear-sightedness. In Roman mythology, Justitia (Justice) was one of the four Virtues.
Justice is symbolized by a woman because she is based on two ancient goddesses of justice. In Greek and Roman mythology, justice was represented by female dieties. As such, it is represented by a woman today.
the longish and double edged sword represents the enforcement measure of lady justice. It stands for her readiness to obligate faithfulness to her decision of reason and justice by both parties.
Goddess Justitia can be seen wearing robes, with her hair tied behind in bun, carrying the three symbols of justice: The Sword, The Balance and The Blindfold.
Lady Justice is blindfolded. A court of law commences a trial of a dispute with no prior knowledge of it and complete impartiality, hence the blindfold over Lady Justice's eyes. This is designed to symbolise that justice should be rendered “without passion or prejudice” to ensure a result which is fair.
The Lady Justice, the symbol akin to the Legal System, its significance is deliberated in this article with an overview on justice, nyaya and Mother and Child symbol of Supreme Court of India.