The king in "The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank Stockton thinks that his system of justice is absolutely just and right. Though the king had taken the idea of using a public arena from neighboring countries, his arena was quite different from anyone else's, and he took great pride in that.
"This vast amphitheater, with its encircling galleries, its mysterious vaults, and its unseen passages, was an agent of poetic justice, in which crime...
The king in "The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank Stockton thinks that his system of justice is absolutely just and right. Though the king had taken the idea of using a public arena from neighboring countries, his arena was quite different from anyone else's, and he took great pride in that.
"This vast amphitheater, with its encircling galleries, its mysterious vaults, and its unseen passages, was an agent of poetic justice, in which crime was punished, or virtue rewarded, by the decrees of an impartial and incorruptible chance" (Stockton 2).
This king, after all, allowed the accused people to choose a door and in doing so, they sealed their own fate. If they chose the door with a tiger behind it, they were immediately devoured, establishing--at least in the king's mind--their guilt. If they, instead, chose the door with the lady behind, they were obviously innocent, and a marriage celebration was held--whether the accused or the lady wanted one.
"This was the king's semi-barbaric method of administering justice. Its perfect fairness is obvious" (Stockton 4).
The king was very pleased with himself for coming up with this system of course!
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