A Tale of Two Executions
Charles Dickens wrote a letter to The Times in 1849 after having witnessed what was dubbed the ‘hanging of the century’. It was a novel and interesting case which could have been picked as a scene out of a play rather than scripted from mundane reality. It was the first husband and wife execution in 150 years; exciting stuff. Mr and Mrs Manning were hanged for murdering a friend for his money and then burying him under the kitchen floor. Dickens joined a crowd of 30,000 to witness the affair but was soon disgusted by the reaction of the audience and joyous nature of the ‘day out’ which undermined it as an act of justice.
It is interesting to read his letter in the light of today’s spectacle of Gaddafi’s death on the front pages. Of course the contexts and significance of the cases are incomparable. But the essence of Dickens’ criticisms may still hold weight.The entertainment value of flaunting gruesome images to spectators with a curious hunger for torture porn has not changed.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t have any pictures for proof of his death, but is splashing such images on the front pages of national newspapers without any warning really necessary?
Despite our sense of moral betterment that apparently moved with the times, the same grisly excitement still pervades when people pass around mobile phones relishing in watching videos of Gaddafi’s last moments.There’s a difference between informing and entertaining; between satisfaction for the people of Libya and taking pleasure in the unfolding drama.
Perhaps the tendency to revel in what Dickens might call “brutal mirth” at the fascinating case of Gaddafi – the “odd-ball until the end” – distracts us from the point, not the nature, of his death.
Charles Dickens to the Editor of The Times, Letters. Nov. 13, 1849
I was a witness of the execution at Horsemonger Lane this morning. I went there with the intention of observing the crowd gathered to behold it, and I had excellent opportunities of doing so, at intervals all through the night, and continuously from day-break until after the spectacle was over… I believe that a sight so inconceivably awful as the wickedness and levity of the immense crowd collected at that execution this morning could be imagined by no man, and could be presented in no heathen land under the sun. The horrors of the gibbet and of the crime which brought the wretched murderers to it faded in my mind before the atrocious bearing, looks, and language of the assembled spectators.
When I came upon the scene at midnight, the shrillness of the cries and howls that were raised from time to time, denoting that they came from a concourse of boys and girls already assembled in the best places, made my blood run cold. As the night went on, screeching, and laughing, and yelling in strong chorus of parodies on negro melodies, with substitutions of ‘Mrs. Manning’ for ‘Susannah’, and the like, were added to these. When the day dawned, thieves, low prostitutes, ruffians, and vagabonds of every kind, flocked on to the ground, with every variety of offensive and foul behaviour. Fightings, faintings, whistlings, imitations of Punch, brutal jokes, tumultuous demonstrations of indecent delight when swooning women were dragged out of the crowd by the police, with their dresses disordered, gave a new zest to the general entertainment. When the sun rose brightly-as it did-it gilded thousands upon thousands of upturned faces, so inexpressibly odious in their brutal mirth or callousness, that a man had cause to feel ashamed of the shape he wore, and to shrink from himself, as fashioned in the image of the Devil.
When the two miserable creatures who attracted all this ghastly sight about them were turned quivering into the air, there was no more emotion, no more pity, no more thought that two immortal souls had gone to judgement, no more restraint in any of the previous obscenities, than if the name of Christ had never been heard in this world, and there were no belief among men but that they perished like the beasts.
Great piece Farah
Thank you for bringing the Dickens letter to my attention. I hadn’t seen it before. Sad to see that some things haven’t changed and that the new media has just strengthened old habits. Instead of the 30,000 strong crowd, millions can join in the spectacle.
Very interesting article. I didn’t know about the Charles Dickens letter! Thank you for enlightening me.
An interesting read! Looking forward to reading more from you, Miss Jassat
Thanks so much for your replies! Glad you guys enjoyed it
Excellent article!
Although, it should be ‘hanged’ not hung.
Very astute article! Nicely captures how the myriad complexities of a situation – and in this case, the awful crimes & human rights violations too – are lost when the media attempts to define a moment with a single image.
Enlightening. But perhaps very much a detached observation: personal experience often inverts one’s ethical theory. Discuss.
Thanks for the comments and Sarah you are right in pointing out my mistake, I’ve changed it. Thanks for letting me know
Isaac – hmm good point but my article was commentating on the role of the British media. And the British media/public IS detached from the situation. Hence when images are splashed on front pages are they doing it with justice in mind or the shock factor that will sell papers?
With regards to personal experience of Libyans and their reaction – then I completely agree. It would be far harder to comment on the ethics of their reactions – and so I haven’t even gone there! It’s a very complicated issue but the role of the British media should be pondered over.
It’s also an interesting point to note that gruesome images that would speak against our government are rarely shown. Have we seen front page images of atrocities at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq? However, despite how shocking the Gaddafi image is, it speaks in favour of Britian’s role in Libya.
Mark Lawson from the Guardian wrote an interesting article on the role of the media and his view that even Gadaffi deserved a private death: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/21/muammar-gaddafi-death-images-media?INTCMP=SRCH
The whole episode bears a striking resemblance to the public execution of King Louis XVI in the French Revolution. If you can, try and read some witness accounts of the beheading and the reaction of the people.
You’d think this thirst for blood is part of being human…
Thnx Miss Jassat…