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The pear of anguish was a medieval torture device made of metal and shaped like a pear. It was commonly used to inflict pain on the victim’s mouth, anus, or vagina. The device rarely caused death, but infection was a risk. Its origin is unknown, but it was first mentioned in a 1639 French publication. Examples can be found in select museums today.
In medieval Europe, there were several methods of torture, one of which was the pear of anguish. Named after its pear shape, this was one of the most common torture devices used during this historical period. This medieval instrument is also referred to as a choke pear.
The pear of anguish is made of metal, consisting of four leaf-shaped segments that are placed side by side in a circular shape, thus forming the pear shape. At the end of the tool handle is a screw that opens these structures. This is the process that inflicts pain on the victim.
Most people in the Middle Ages used this device for their mouths, slowly expanding the lobes in the orifice to break their teeth and induce immense bleeding. Another popular administration, though, was at the gap between the legs. For males, it was the anus. For females, it was the vagina.
Some angst pears were designed to target the part of the body it was intended for delivery to. Furthermore, the individual’s offense determined the exact place where the torture was performed. For example, for homosexuals, the strangled pear was introduced into the anus. Women accused of inducing miscarriages had the instrument inserted into their vaginas. Liars or blasphemers have put the torture device into their mouths.
The pear of anguish rarely caused death, although other torture methods could be used to hasten that process. Death usually occurred more quickly if the instrument was applied to the anus or vagina. Furthermore, death from infection, especially of the intestines, could occur, especially considering that the device was rarely washed after each torture session.
The exact origin of the pear of anguish is unknown. Its first mention dates back to a 1639 French publication entitled L’Inventaire général de l’histoire des larrons, or General Inventory of the History of Thieves, which attributes its invention to a thief who lived during the years of King Henry IV, who reigned France 1589-1610. It also appeared in some 19th-century UK publications, most notably Francis Grose’s Dictionary of the Vernacular of 19; and Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, which the Reverend E. Cobham Brewer originally published in 1811. Today, examples of the pear of anguish can be found in select museums such as the Museum des Lebuser Landes in Zielona Góra, Poland, and the Museum der Festung in Salzburg, Austria.
