ABSTRACT This article considers the role of emotion in the eighteenth-century courtroom. It discusses the work of judges and magistrates in constituting and upholding a ‘grand narrative’, which legitimized English criminal law. This grand narrative was inherently emotional, activating patriotism and love of justice, but also fear of punishment through the performance of ‘emotional labour’ from the judgment seat. However, while performing the majesty of the law, judges attempted to balance a number of complicating factors, such as the rise of sensibility, the role of the press, and their own emotions about criminal justice. The growing presence of professional counsel from the end of the century also complicated the emotional tenor of criminal trials. Moreover, the majesty of the law was undermined and even corrupted by the representation of trials and executions in the popular press. Far from viewing displays of emotion as inappropriate, it appears that many contemporaries held emotion to be an integral part of trial process, and of the majesty of the law.

中文翻译：

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情感与威严的叙事：十八世纪刑事法庭中的情感调解

摘要 本文探讨了情感在 18 世纪法庭中的作用。它讨论了法官和地方法官在构成和维护“宏大叙事”方面的工作，这使英国刑法合法化。这个宏大的叙事本质上是情绪化的，激发了爱国主义和对正义的热爱，但也害怕通过在审判席上进行“情感劳动”而受到惩罚。然而，法官们在彰显法律威严的同时，也试图平衡一些复杂的因素，比如感性的兴起、媒体的作用以及自身对刑事司法的情绪。从本世纪末开始，专业律师的出现也使刑事审判的情感基调复杂化。而且，大众媒体对审判和处决的报道有损甚至败坏了法律的威严。许多同时代的人并没有认为情绪的表现是不恰当的，而是认为情绪是审判过程和法律威严不可分割的一部分。