Abstract
In literature as in cinema, the subject of death penalty has been largely used. It can be seen in fantastic films such as The Green Mile by Frank Darabont, as well as in journalistic type of books, as in In Cold Blood by Truman Capote or in The Executioner's song by Norman Mailer, as well as many other types of genres. The fact is that this topic has inspired many artists in many different areas for its legal aspect as well as for its human and religious aspects. The public of this kind of subject is divided between two different ideas about the death penalty, which is the huge debate that takes place about its abolition or non-abolition.
However, what is interesting to study in these works is not the pertinence of the arguments about the death penalty but the way in which the authors are using it. Indeed, what can be noticed is that very often, the people condemned to death tend to die with a certain kind of honor or at least show a will to do it in that way. Moreover, many philosophers like Kant or even Freud tried to explain the impact of honor on death penalty. For Kant, it is legitimised in the way that it gives back the honor of the criminal who will accept the punishment. Freud, on its side, explains that this should not exist because what commits a murder is only the impulsive, even animal side of the person. Then, honor could be found in overcoming this tendency, which he symbolizes by castration since this animal instinct is based on sexual impulses.
In any case, innocent or not, the notion of honor when people are facing death is recurrent. have consequently chosen to analyse the importance of dying with honor in literature and films based on this subject. First of all, I will study the reason why the condemned people have this tendency do die with honor, even when innocent or when having the possibility to escape from the deathpenalty. Then, I will show how they manage to find honor and how the authors and film directors show it. Finally, I will talk about the role of pride in death penalty and to whom it is directed to.
Extract
[...] However, what is interesting to study in these works is not the pertinence of the arguments about the death penalty but the way in which the authors are using it. Indeed, what can be noticed is that very often, the people condemned to death tend to die with a certain kind of honor or at least show a will to do it in that way. Moreover, many philosophers like Kant or even Freud tried to explain the impact of honor on death penalty. [...]
[...] He would rather die with honor accepting the law. In order to explain this fact, Kant says that “one has never heard of anyone who was sentenced to death for murder complaining that he was dealt with too severely and therefore wronged; everyone would laugh at his face if he said this.” 8 What Kant shows by saying this is that if a prisoner condemned to death tried making people understand the law is too severe, then, he would lose its honor. [...]
[...] Honor is then essential for their redemption, but also for their image inside their community: dying with honor transforms them most of the time as heroes, hugely attenuating their crimes. To recover respect and humanity, they have to die with honor. [...]
[...] Conclusion Honor has a huge place in works concerning death penalty, and that more precisely at the moment before death happens in the stories. The reason why it is important can be explained by the fact people who are condemned to death need to repent for what they did and to expiate for their fault religiously as well. However, what is even more striking is that they tend to do it as a way to recover their humanity, according to Freud11's argument. [...]
[...] This shows in a metaphorical way the importance for the guards to accompany the prisoners in saving their honor when dying. 9 Exodus King James Bible, Oxford University Press, 1997 11 The other type of people I found working in this way is the teacher in A lesson before dying. He stands as the one that will bring Jefferson to recover his humanity, and consequently his honor when dying. He has clearly been engaged in that way by Jefferson's godmother. [...]
