Talk:Pillory

Daniel Defoe was probably not pelted with flowers

The article on Daniel Defoe calls into question whether this event really took place, perhaps worth editing this article as well to reflect the uncertainty as to whether this happened. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.120.84.221 (talk) 06:07, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

What a pillory looks like

I do not agree with this definition of pillory, but I'm not english native speaker. For me, a pillori is not that wooden device but is a column where the criminal was bound. see "pilori" in the french wikipedia [1] .

The device explained here is what is called "carcan" in french and probably yoke or shackles in english.

Pilory is close to the latin word meaning"column", so please verify this info.

--- The image is very difficult to see, at that resolution it just looks like a tower. Would it make sense to use a cropped version that shows the man in the pillory (which is visible if you click on the image and view it at full size), or something? --babbage 15:46, 2 May 2005 (UTC)

Image

I don't suppose there's another one available to show someone in the pillory? The one being used right now, of a teen girl in a skirt, is a little creepily BDSM...--98.204.88.187 (talk) 14:47, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Confusing

I find this article confusing: -What is the relation between the terms pillory and stocks? -Are the Other humiliation devices types of pillories? If not then I think that this information should be moved to another article. ike9898 21:35, September 3, 2005 (UTC)

• Indeed, the terminology, as often with punitive devices, is rather confusing and overlaps are frequent. The idea of a merger of similar devices such as pranger into pillory seems sensible. Whether this should also apply to stocks, usually far less elaborate and tying the feet, not arms or neck, is less obvious. Fastifex 20:30, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

• • I'd like to see that in the article. For example a sentence noting the overlap, and saying that the difference between the two usually implies tying the feet aswell. 139.222.224.70 (talk) 02:51, 10 April 2011 (UTC)

I feel this page contains in imprecise and conflicting definitions of what a pillory is. I do not think 'whipping post' should redirect here as it is a separate device with a different structure, something outlined in the 'Similar Humiliation Devices' section, 'the two as such are separate punishments'. This distinction is contradicted by redirection of 'whipping post' to the entire page and by the subjective definition given in the 'Description' section, 'the pillory consisted of hinged wooden boards forming holes through which the head and/or various limbs were inserted.' This definition is not cited, it is too broad and risks confusion between the pillory and similar but different devices. It should simply say 'head and hands' to be in keeping with the dictionary definition referenced in the footnotes ("definition: "Pillory"". reference.com. Retrieved 25 March 2009.) and prevent giving an inaccurate impression of what a pillory is. I can understand including other devices but the page needs to be more clear in distinguishing them from the pillory when defining and redirecting terms. [Parickcoop, 11:46, 25 March 2017] — Preceding unsigned comment added by Patrickcoop (talk • contribs)

Verb

Does this mean to imply that the term "pilloried" means humiliated? -Ash (April 2006)

• yes, the verb to pillory, no longer commonly needed for the physical punishment, remains alive in the figurative sense To expose to ridicule and (usually verbal) abuse. Equivalents in other languages exist, even clearer emphasizing the humiliating nature, and will be worked in the article. Fastifex 10:26, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

Merging pranger into pillory.

The Pillory in England is the standing version of the stocks. In the stock the offender is seated with their feet and hands trapped in the holes. In the Pillory the offender is standing with their head and hands trapped. Whether the punishments then meted out to them differ, I do not know. The stocks are the older of the two devices though.

I dont think the topics pranger and pillory should be merged, they are different devices and a link should suffice.

They're all seperate yet simular devices and should have thier own pages Kejoxen 22:39, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

I was bold and removed merge tag though they surved similar purposes the two are substancially different in the way they were made an how the were used. Gnangarra 14:43, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

Gummy Bears?

I believe someone has "pranked" this page. One of the last sections is headlined "Similar humiliation devices and Gummy Bears."

There is no mention of Gummy Bears anywhere in the article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 149.48.225.2 (talk) 17:57, 7 January 2015 (UTC)

Date of the word

The article states that "The word is documented in English since 1274 (attested in Anglo-Latin from c. 1189)". In Cinque Ports there is a quotation from a Royal Charter of 1155 that uses the word. I don't have the source for the assertion of when it was documented or the Royal Charter, but I hope someone can clear this up. Metamoof (talk) 12:44, 16 January 2015 (UTC)

Copyvio tag

@Music1201: Since you added a copyright violation notice to this article, I found that this article has not changed significantly since 2012. The blog that you linked to is almost certainly a Wikipedia mirror, since it was published in 2013 after this article was written. The contents of the blog may have been copied from Wikipedia, and not vice-versa. Jarble (talk) 23:05, 26 June 2016 (UTC)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Victor Hugo describes his character Quasimodo undergoing a lengthy time in the pillory along with whipping, mocking and having stones thrown at him. I'm sure there have been other ficticious characters who've undergone such torture but I'm wondering if Hugo's Novel might have had some impact in the outlawing of the practice since the book was published the year (1831) before the practice was banned in France (1832). Joseph G. Kreke 19:32, 20 February 2020 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jkreke (talk • contribs)

Helicobacter?

Is there any evidence that pillory has ever been confused with *Helicobacter pylori*? That doesn’t seem to pass the smell test. Graham^talk/mail/e 00:45, 5 July 2020 (UTC)

What is the big harm in trying to advise against confusing one spelling (pillory) with a separate, non-related one (pylori)? Thank you, warshy ^(¥¥) 19:04, 5 July 2020 (UTC)

Relevant Ask historians thread for anyone interested

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/11etgg3/peter_james_bossy_who_was_convicted_of_wilful_and/jagb75g/

Led to a correction in the body of the article Semitones (talk) 14:21, 1 March 2023 (UTC)