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Good and Bad Deaths
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During the Early Modern Period Good deaths were considered important for the souls of the dying. ...
Erasmus believed that a persons behaviour at the end of their lives was important in that it determined the individuals eternal fate, in effect the time before death acted as a trial therefore, a good death was much sort after because it would help ensure that the individual went to heaven rather than hell and for this reason a good end to a life was much desired. Literary instructions and guidance was published on the art of a good death and those who followed this advice were considered to have good deaths and their deaths were often recorded. For example John Fisher recorded every detail of the death of Henry VII in 1509, explaining how the king had followed the correct procedures of a good death and died begging god for his help. Also, good deaths provided examples of how people should die, so that people could copy the examples of others on their own death beds as well as providing encouragement and reassurance for the people left behind , thus strengthening the Christian beliefs of survivors and hopefully allowing the dying to be at peace with themselves and the world as they passed away. ... As to the question of whether many of these felons attempted to create a ‘good death’ by repenting their sins and asking for forgiveness on the scaffold, the answer is unclear. ... However, it is clear that a substantial number of these criminals did attempt a good death, for example Mary Edmondson. ... Another felon, Sir John Johnston, executed in 1690 for assisting in stealing an heiress, also attempted to have a ‘good death’. He also proclaimed to the audience a long speech declaring his innocence, yet it did him no good as he was executed regardless. The scaffold provided the opportunity for a public good death for sinners who had an opportunity to openly confess all their sins and make a last attempt to make amends to the public, for the crimes and sufferings that they had inflicted upon them. Thus the scaffold provided “a last opportunity of doing good and to be reintegrated into earthy society before being finally despatched from it. ...
This was all the more effective when a figurehead of society was executed as an attempt at a ‘good death’ was heightened by their status. In Anne Boleyn’s speech, given before her execution in 1536 she addresses her audience as “good Christian people”, outlining her religious intentions from the outset and making holy references thereafter in the hope of redeeming herself and praying that “Lord Jesu receive my soul”.
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Paper Information
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Title: Good and Bad Deaths
Words: 2175
Rating: None
Pages: 8.7
submitted by: kkkkatie
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