Chapter 10
The trial resumes after a brief adjournment. The presiding judge calls the courtroom to order and asks Meursault if he wishes to speak. Meursault answers “No.” The prosecutor rises, gestures dramatically, and delivers a long, impassioned indictment. He asserts that Meursault acted with full knowledge and premeditation, recounts the sequence of events (the letter to Raymond’s mistress, the beach confrontation, the shooting of the Arab, the four additional shots), and emphasizes the defendant’s lack of remorse, the emptiness of his soul, and his moral indifference. He portrays Meursault as a cold, intelligent monster whose heart constitutes a societal danger, and explicitly links the murder of the Arab to a hypothetical future trial for patricide, urging the jury to view both as equally abhorrent. The prosecutor concludes by requesting the death penalty, describing the act as a “sacred imperative” and declaring that he feels “at ease” in asking for the condemned man’s head.
When the prosecutor returns to his seat, a heavy silence fills the courtroom. The judge, in a low voice, asks Meursault if he has anything to add; Meursault repeats his earlier refusal. The defense lawyer then rises. He acknowledges the crime, stating “It is true I killed a man,” and repeatedly uses “I” when referring to Meursault, attempting to humanize him. He describes Meursault as an honest, hard‑working, loyal man who supported his mother, a respectable employee, and a caring son who wanted to place his mother in a home for the aged. He argues that the murder was a momentary loss of control, not a cold‑blooded act, and urges the jury to consider mitigating circumstances. He also notes the state’s role in funding such homes and implies that Meursault’s motives were practical rather than malicious. The lawyer’s summation is long and rambling; he is occasionally interrupted by a guard reminding Meursault to stay quiet. The defense concludes by pleading that the jury will not condemn an otherwise upright man to death.
The judge then asks the foreman of the jury to read the verdict. The foreman announces that the jury finds Meursault guilty of premeditated murder. The judge pronounces the sentence: Meursault is to be executed by guillotine in a public square, his head to be cut off in the name of the French people. He asks Meursault one final time if he has any last words; Meursault again says “No.” The courtroom erupts in murmurs, the prosecutor wipes sweat from his face, the defense lawyer looks exhausted, and some colleagues congratulate the lawyer on his performance. The scene ends with the doors closing, the police gently escorting Meursault away, and the judge’s voice echoing the final decree.