Torture is defines as the intentional use of physical or physiological pain to gain advantage over an individual. Torture has been around since the times of Ancient Greece and is still around today. Punishments aren't near as harsh as they used to be back in medieval times. (1) The only punishments we have now are jails, the punishments there were in medieval times were numerous and downright inhuman. Torture would keep criminal from doing something wrong again, assuming he lived through the torture. The punishments we have today are laughable and dumb. Medieval torture was a good way to extract confession, obtain information and intimidate others in to co-operating and or confessing. The methods of torture involved cruel devices that were not only intended to inflict extreme pain, but also permanently disable the victim. (2) Witches and condemned prisoners usually took the fall of the crime to escape any method of torture. During the time of the middle ages, torture was proven the most effective way to extract confession from convicted prisoners. In many ways, the church was also seen as one of the founders of torture in the Spanish inquisition.

Torture has been considered an art form in some countries. Victor Hugo once said, "The guillotine is the ultimate expression of law, and its name is vengeance." The executioner, in the theater of the guillotine, has a very special role. He is the first one to walk on stage and the last one to walk off. The executioner is the only permanent member after he and the victim and their short uneasy relationship as he releases the rope. (4) The guillotine was one the most popular spectacles to the people in the middle ages. The decapitation of the enemies of the people was used as celebration. The tools used for torture range from completely pointless and humorous to flat out excruciating. (3) Some tools were used to embarrass while others were to severely punish people and others were to torture a person with classified information to the point of pain where the victim would just lie so the his misery would just end. The iron mask was a mask that was bolted shut. The mask usually displayed the face of something funny, like a pig or a boar. You had to sleep, eat, and walk around with this iron mask stuck to your head. This wasn't really torture, it was usually used for people that talked too much or complained about society. The nags bridle was a device that was locked over peoples mouths to prevent them from talking, if the person still talked, it was removed and replaced with one with spikes around the mouth area. This really wasn't a light torture, but it was a lot lighter than others such as the pears, needles, thumbscrews, bamboo, and painful cuts, these tortures were to just hurt you. Pears were pear shaped metal object that were inserted in the victims mouth and or anus. After the device was in place, a screw at the top of the pear could be turned, causing the pear to open up. (4) The needle torture was very, very painful. Huge needles were pierced through certain parts of your boy and left there. The executioner would leave the victim like

The Definition of Torture. (1969, December 31). In DirectEssays.com. Retrieved 15:49, May 25, 2013, from http://www.directessays.com/viewpaper/57189.html

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