guillotine

A guillotine is a device designed to carry out beheading by means of a heavy blade that drops vertically between guides. It is a stationary, standardized method of execution that uses gravity to deliver a swift, clean cut to the neck, with a frame, a blade, a lunette to hold the head in place, and a release mechanism to drop the blade.

Mechanically, the apparatus comprises a tall framed structure, a weighted blade sliding in guided grooves, and a hinged or adjustable holding seat. The condemned person lies on a plank with the neck positioned in a vertical opening known as the lunette. After the release mechanism is actuated, the blade descends rapidly, severing the head. The design emphasizes consistency and speed, and the blade is sharpened to achieve a swift decapitation.

Historically, the guillotine was developed in late 18th‑century France. It was associated with the French Revolution and became the standard method of execution in the French legal system. The device is named after Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, who proposed a humane, egalitarian method of capital punishment in 1789; the actual mechanism was designed by Antoine Louis with input from the German instrument maker Tobias Schmidt. The first recorded execution by guillotine occurred in 1792, and the device remained in use in France for nearly two centuries. The last execution by guillotine in France occurred in 1977, and France abolished capital punishment in 1981.

Legacy, usage, and symbolism: the guillotine became a powerful symbol of the French Revolution and of state power over life and death. Variants and similar devices appeared in other countries over time, though the guillotine’s association with France is its most enduring aspect.