The Coupe de Grace, Research Paper Example

The statement or expression of ‘coup de grace’ is a death blow or mercy killing in order to end a persons suffering.  It can apply to both a human and wounded animal.  It has been most commonly used in the field of battle  where a soldier has killed a friend or enemy to prevent further suffering.  The terms has since been exploited in business terms to talk about the end of a specific entity or event.  For example :  the tannery business had been in decline for many years; the coup de grace was the demise of suitable raw materials. 

The expression can also be relevant in the context of bringing down tyrannical regimes that were causing suffering to the people. An example being the coup in Thailand on September 19th 2009  where a group of senior military officials carried out a successful coup to depose the government.  They managed to achieve this without bloodshed and as such ended a period of severe political unrest.  There has been some argument to the legality of the coup de grace as the government was democratically elected  and ending the regime by violence may be deemed as illegal.  The counter argument being that it was done for the good of the people and to end the suffering of a nation.  ” The Thaksin regime can be appropriately termed a “tyranny of the majority”, because Thaksin and his cohorts systematically violated the Constitution and the law of the land. The regime theoretically turned Thailand into a state of nature. General Sonthi and his close associates exercised their natural right to seize political power by risking their own lives, in accordance with the “law of the jungle”.  (Theeravit, 2006).

Another example is the rather barbaric sport of bullfighting.  The animal (bull) is essentially tortured by picadors and toreadors by stabbing and lancing the bull and then enraging it to the point that it loses so much blood from the wounds incurred that the animal is in agony to the point of its death.  The final mercy killing taking place by the Toreador who drives a sword into the heart of the bull and ultimately a dagger into its brain.  (Studyglobal.com, 2004)

Globalisation and the monetary economics of same has been considered a coup de grace for the small scale economies of the world.  Essentially globalisation being a realignment of the major world economic powers to impose control over the poorer countries ” The excitement over globalisation, however, has succeeded to conceal the bona fide social and economic inequalities that are not just a surplus from the past, but are products of the new global economy. The promise of globalisation is just that, a promise, while globalisation itself generates new forms of economic and political exploitation and marginalisation.”  (Balboul, 2009)

The actual term is said to derive from France in the Dark Ages where it was acknowledged to be the final blow of death after a rather horrific torture ” it comes from the use of such execution methods as the “Breaking Wheel”, often used in France during the Dark Ages, where the victim is stretched across a wheel and has their limbs broken by a very large hammer. Often, it was then ordered for the executioner to deliver a fatal blow to the chest, in order to end the torturous ordeal quickly.”  (TV Tropes.org, 2009)

A more social expression is where you split up in a relationship and your best friend goes after your ex partner.  Hence the coup de grace being the act of betrayal ” I’m talking about when, days, weeks, a month after a breakup, your ex and your “friend” decide to pursue a relationship. This is the ultimate betrayal. This is what separates the friends from the women to avoid like the plague ”  (Lue, 2006)

Works Cited

Balboul, L. (2009, 7 21). Globalisation: the Coup de Grace. Retrieved 1 15, 2010, from Articlebase: http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/globalisation-the-coup-de-grace-1056844.html

Lue, N. (2006, 5 24). The Coup de Grace – When Your Friend Dates Your Ex. Retrieved 1 15, 2010, from Baggage Reclaim : http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/the-coup-de-grace-when-your-friend-dates-your-ex/

Studyglobal.com. (2004, 1 1). Bullfighting. Retrieved 1 15, 2010, from Studyglobal.com: http://www.studyglobal.net/bullfighting.htm

Theeravit, K. (2006, 10 18). Thailand’s ‘coup de grace’ is not lacking in legitimacy. Retrieved 1 15, 2010, from The Nation: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/18/opinion/opinion_30016462.php

TV Tropes.org. (2009). Coup de Grace. Retrieved 1 15, 2010, from TV Tropes.org: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CoupDeGrace