Anger and Justice in Cárcel de amor

What is it about?

Scholarship had condemned King Gaulo of Cárcel de amor as an angry and cruel ruler. Because he is possibly incestuous, it has been argued, he had condemned his daughter Laureola to death. A close reading of the treatment of emotions in San Pedro's text can reveal two important points. One, the portrayal of emotions is one of the central themes of the text. Second, although the text insinuates that the King is acting due to anger, it also proves this insinuation wrong.

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Why is it important?

This article demonstrates that the character of King Gaulo has been misread. A careful analysis of the text shows that the King is a judicious ruler, who weighs his decisions according to the principles of strict vs. compassionate implementation of justice. The article offers an alternative reading of the role of the emotions in the text, and their relation to the principles of implementation of law and just rule in late Medieval period.