Absract. The Body of the Condemned. Literature & Language Essay

The Body of The Condemned
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The Body of the Condemned
Foucault's Body of the Condemned, written in 1982, covers the various crime and punishment changes that have taken place over the years. The author begins the article by giving a comparison between a 1957 public execution and an 1837 account of different prison rules. The comparison shows the extent to which the codes of law have changed over time. The author focuses on various features that have changed in the code of rules. Among them is the elimination of the torture and exhibition of prisoners. As well, the criminal's body was no longer placed for public viewing. Such led to the end of any public executions. Therefore, it is the certainty of punishment that prevents people from committing a crime. Before the changing of the rules, people feared the horror associated with the punishment. Hence, they would avoid committing a crime. According to the author, a conviction has become the common way of punishing crimes where the criminal is entitled to a trial, and if found guilty, a sentence is given.[Foucault, Michel. The body of the condemned. Arbor House, 1982.]
The new laws were not only intended to punish criminals but rather help in correcting their behavior. Executioners obtained new roles such as psychiatrists, doctors, and warders, among others. In addition, the execution process was no longer painful. It was done using painless drugs, and this marked the end of public viewing of the criminal's body. By the end of the year 1848, public executions had ended. However, traces of torture remained in the system as lawmakers tried to figure o...