Film, Media & TV3 mins ago
Are We Simply A Few Centuries Up The Road?
26 Answers
I'm reminded that on this day 323 years back the Salem Witch Trials commenced, resulting in 19 people hanged and one 'pressed to death' !
A century prior to that we were busy beheading and merrily disembowelling, hang, drawing and quartering folk in public and displaying their heads in spikes.
As Peter Kominsky, director of Wolf Hall said in an interview, (with reference to Anne Boleyn's beheading) "Does this sound familiar today?".
A century prior to that we were busy beheading and merrily disembowelling, hang, drawing and quartering folk in public and displaying their heads in spikes.
As Peter Kominsky, director of Wolf Hall said in an interview, (with reference to Anne Boleyn's beheading) "Does this sound familiar today?".
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Probably less than a few hundred...and I wouldn't brag too much about how we've "progressed' in the UK or Europe. Cynic that I am, I worry that given the chance or left to their own devices,many would revert back to such modes of punishment/revenge. And I'm not sure religion would play a part in it either.
//As Peter Kominsky, director of Wolf Hall said in an interview, (with reference to Anne Boleyn's beheading) "Does this sound familiar today?".//
Not really. Like many others, Anne Boleyn wasn’t beheaded for the reasons people are beheaded today. Islam will never concede to a leader who, like Henry VIII (albeit in his case for personal reasons), is determined to oppose the status quo. Its book demands some gory penalties for perceived opposition to Islam and since the book is considered infallible, that will never change - so don’t hold your breath.
Not really. Like many others, Anne Boleyn wasn’t beheaded for the reasons people are beheaded today. Islam will never concede to a leader who, like Henry VIII (albeit in his case for personal reasons), is determined to oppose the status quo. Its book demands some gory penalties for perceived opposition to Islam and since the book is considered infallible, that will never change - so don’t hold your breath.
Khandro, //I see, so there are degrees of culpability for beheading?//
I don’t think you do see. Within civilised societies both rules and accepted penalties for breaking those rules change continuously but the analogy you and Peter Kominsky are making simply doesn’t work because Islam cannot change. Its rules are not man-made … allegedly.
I don’t think you do see. Within civilised societies both rules and accepted penalties for breaking those rules change continuously but the analogy you and Peter Kominsky are making simply doesn’t work because Islam cannot change. Its rules are not man-made … allegedly.
Many people opposed the trials and challenged the evidence at the time. The verdicts in the trials were all overturned somewhat later (I thought as the result of a Royal Commission in the reign of Anne, although Wiki says it was a local Massachusetts court). So England and its colonies still had religious mania, superstition and frenzy, it had something else: freedom of speech, due process and the acknowledgement of the rule of law. Better two hundred years ago, then, than some theocracies today. Better than some would have this country be now.
There was, many years ago, an enthralling TV program about the trials and the subsequent compensation paid to the families of those hanged. I think the rather poignant title was "A Shilling for Sarah" or some such, but can't find it on Google.
There was, many years ago, an enthralling TV program about the trials and the subsequent compensation paid to the families of those hanged. I think the rather poignant title was "A Shilling for Sarah" or some such, but can't find it on Google.
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I agree that Boleyn's trial and execution was a farce. Not so that of Catherine Howard (although she was attainted rather than tried) who was as guilty as sin. It was perhaps poetic justice that Jane Rochford, Boleyn's sister in law, should die on the same block as Howard for complicity in her treason. Interestingly, according to the law at the time she would not have been executed as she had gone mad and even in those days mad people could not be put to death. Henry persuaded parliament to pass an act making it an exception in the case of treason.
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