Character Analysis
This dude deserves a medal for taking Tom in after his brother Percy dies, but what does he get instead? A fatal knife wound, that's what.
As the ultimate victim of Tom's schemes, Judge Driscoll shows us just how bad really Tom is (in case we weren't already sure). Even though he's supported Tom and bailed him out of debt, Tom still has no conscience about robbing him blind and then offing him.
And if that wasn't all, Driscoll highlights another dimension of Tom's character. In being obsessed with bravery himself, the judge shows that Tom is a big old coward. Upon hearing that Tom refused to fight Luigi, the judge laments:
"A coward in my family! A Driscoll a coward! Oh, what have I done to deserve this infamy!" (12.38)
Granted, Driscoll does seem a wee bit obsessed—dare we say crazed—when it comes to proving his courage in the duel. And it's not like we want to advocate violence or anything. We're just saying that Driscoll's fearlessness makes Tom look like a total scaredy-cat in comparison.