Analysis Of Memoirs Of A Prague Executioner

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Brent Neely
History 105
Professor Ashburn
5/12/14
Memoirs of a Prague Executioner Essay
Prompt: The world of the executioner was world inside of another world - create your own argument.
Just imagine that you were nearly completed with medical school, with the promise of a prestigious and honorable career as a doctor. Suddenly the one you love is out of your ability to rescue and it puts you into an emotional tailspin, in which you question the meaning of life and the worth of other people. After all this is settled you decide that you no longer want to choose a career that might save people lives, but instead one that will mercilessly and brutally take them; you are now an executioner for the state of Bohemia. This is the life of Master Jan Mydlar (1572-1664), who was a 17th century executioner from Prague. In this an analysis, I will discuss the historical context of the novel Memoirs of a Prague Executioner, the historical accuracy of this source for the study of history, and the specific fate of Jan Mydlar on the margins of history.
The historical context of this novel is actually a very interesting time in Czech history. The preface and contextual information of the events in this novel were encompassed by tensions between the Catholics and the Protestants in the Bohemian area. The Catholic governors were thrown out of the tower windows of Prague Castle in 1618 by rebelling Protestants and led to the Third Defenestration of Prague. Although the governors survived the fall, Protestants replaced the Catholic governors with men that more aligned with their own views. This specific event led to the Thirty Years' War. Eventually Ferdinand of Styria was consummated as Emperor Ferdinand...

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...ld and the implementation of humanity is the key to finding meaning; in a sense, although he had to do a brutal and forsaken profession Mydlar tried to handle it with as much dignity and respect as he possible could give the circumstances.
In Conclusion, the novel Memoirs of a Prague Executioner by Josef Svatek is a very interesting read for a variety of reasons. The historical accuracy and genuineness proficiently portrayed the struggle and ongoing isolation Jan Mydlar, the executioner, faced on a daily basis. I believe that his predicament was unfair due to the fact that he was just simply and instrument of the state, yet he endured everlasting shunning and persecution for the fellows of society. The story and theme of justice and injustice is very evidently seen in this resounding aspect and The Memoirs of a Prague Executioner are ones I will not soon forget.

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