What would it be like to return to the days of King Henry VIII? Beheadings! etc
By Andrew
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
United Kingdom
September 17, 2009 5:09am CST
I like reading up on a bit of the old history and I'm currently watching a tv drama called 'The Tudors' and it's based on the life of King Henry VIII of England. Anyway, just imagine, what would it be like if we were to take something out of that period, say, beheadings on the block for everyone to view? Can you actually imagine a situation like that in today's society. Everyone suddenly meeting up at the tower once again for a live beheading with some chap wearing a black face mask and holding a huge axe! Would we as bystanders clap and cheer as in days of old? Or, would we cringe and weep as every new head was removed from the body not forgetting that awful sound as the axe finally met the solidity of the block! Quite a graphic discussion I know but definitely cause for reflection! Andrew
1 person likes this
6 responses
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
18 Sep 09
Hi Andrew, I have always been interested in history and British history in particular. I think we have moved far beyond that today and I certainly wouldn't want to return to it. I have read some books about life in that time period and just the thought of this kind of punishment upsets me. Blessings
1 person likes this

@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
18 Sep 09
Hi Andrew, I agree there was I'm sure, a lot of good things about that period and I'm very happy that we still have the Monarchy and many of the old traditions. I do like stories from that period, the Lady Jane Grey story is one of my favourites but as I remember my father saying, "it was terrible what they did to that girl", and I would certainly agree. I think it's the punishment of the day and the burning at the stake in the days of Mary that bother me the most. I have always had and still have a great love for the monarchy. Blessings.
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@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
18 Sep 09
It would probably be a bad idea to return the the punishment and torture aspect of that period but I'm pretty sure that there were some good things that came out of that period. Well, we still have the monachy and the palaces and castles and everything and it's nice to keep them. I guess the medical knowledge was insufficient in those days though! Andrew
1 person likes this

@kitttenskysong (676)
• United States
17 Sep 09
That is like asking what it would be like to live in the time of Sharizad. The answer is scary, I woudn't want to live in either of those times Espically not as a womann. Henry had six wives, He behaded the first and second divorced the third beheaded the fourth and fifth and tghe sixth out lived him.
Behaeded, beaheded divorced beheaded beheaded survived. Imagine how scary it would be to be married to him?
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@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
18 Sep 09
Well, yes I would say that it would be pretty scary to married to the long gone King Henry VIII! It seems if he ever had a problem then the mostly likely action that he would take would be remove someone's head from their body! It just goes to show you what kind of history we've had and how things have much improved since then. Andrew
@sweetie1026 (1718)
• Philippines
22 Sep 09
I also do watch the Tudors here on cable but i do not think that i would like to go back in time during that period. I love the beautiful gowns of the women of that time and the palaces but i would not exchange our present time with it. I still love our present time no matter how hard life is now. I would still prefer our time.
I admire the braveness of the people then , who can stand up and face that kind of punishment. I just can't stand it, to watch someone being beheaded. For me it is so cruel, yes, they have trials but often times prisoners or criminals are always found guilty and sometimes even innocent persons who have been wrongly accused are found guilty.I am thankful that i was born during this period and time.
I see that you have a new picture now with a new haircut, i think it is so cool.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
22 Sep 09
Hi sweetie, it's nice to be chatting with you once more! I like the idea of time travel and I certainly would like to take a glimpse at this period! Beheadings and things like that though are quite shocking to say the least! I don't know how the general public in those days had the stomach to watch something like that. I love 'The Tudors' and I hope that this doesn't end and that it continues on and on like a soap, 'Eastenders' for example. Thanks for commenting on my hair cut
. Well, I like the short look and it's so easy to manage, no combing or anything like that. Well, you take care and I will speak to you again. Andrew
. Well, I like the short look and it's so easy to manage, no combing or anything like that. Well, you take care and I will speak to you again. Andrew @thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Sep 09
Hi Andrew I'm personally in favour of the return of beheadings for those council tax scroungers down in buck palace. It was good enough for Charles 1 so lets bring back the tradition. I wouldn't weep in the slightest to see the end of all this inherited nonsense but I'll just watch it on the television from Greece to make sure a proper job is done.
1 person likes this
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
18 Sep 09
Well, no doubt beheadings would be very useful thing in relation to certain walks of society! That period really sounds as though it was chaotic though! I'm sure that there were some very good things about the days of Henry but there must have been a lot of bad too like insufficient medical knowledge and things like that. Andrew
@koalapenguin (2707)
• Philippines
17 Sep 09
Hello andrew.
I think i won't see myself cheering for someone who is intended to be beheaded. I don't even think i can see that awful bloody sight.
it's just too violent.
I just remembered the movie The Other Boleyn Girl starred by Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana. The event was very unmerciful. I would not want any country to support that kind of punishment. 
I think i won't see myself cheering for someone who is intended to be beheaded. I don't even think i can see that awful bloody sight.
it's just too violent.
I just remembered the movie The Other Boleyn Girl starred by Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana. The event was very unmerciful. I would not want any country to support that kind of punishment. 1 person likes this
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
17 Sep 09
Hi, I think that the days of King Henry VIII are well and truly over! I suppose that we have become more civilised now as a nation! I must admit, there are things that I like during that period like the knights and brave battles and so forth. Well, we can learn so much from history I think. Andrew
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
18 Sep 09
I suppose the general public were quite traumatised from having witnessed many beheadings at the tower of London but I'm also thinking that this was a part of their daily life and it was probably such a routine thing that they eventually got used to it thinking, 'oh!, it's just another head being removed!' Well, I'm glad that we seem to be far more civilised in this day and age! Andrew







