Imprecation in Romanian Society – between Social Utility and Political Power Expression (I)

Abstract

The imprecation is generally understood as a manifestation form of the vicious relationship between individuals. Formulated in the public space, the imprecation communicates to others the need to be respected the own personal will, but also the need for compensation, reparations for disregarding of this will. This study proposes to analyse the acts and documents which were written in the extra-Carpathian Romanian premodernity. Starting from these texts, we focus our approach on the manifestation of
imprecation visible form, that are named the “public” or ”secular” imprecation. The perspective of study is an interdisciplinary one. But our approach is more extend, as dimension and complexity. From this reason, we propose to separate it: in the first part we analyse the social importance of imprecation and in the second one the role of imprecation to express the political authority. The conclusions of this study reflect two
understanding directions: the imprecation remains a “producer of fear” and a “barometer of human and community sensitivity” as well as a social instrument for warning, isolation, and social correction simultaneously. Generally, actioning as an instrument for imposing a judicial decision, the content of imprecation can support also the affirmation of the central political authority, confirming and consolidating its authority.