“She said: “This form of public execution was high theatre that aimed to demonstrate the power of government to the masses”
Nice bit of sociologist BS coming out here - this guy was disliked by the entire nobility from what I have read and the manner of his death was more likely to give satisfaction to them, as well as high theatre.
Actually, "hanging, drawing, and quartering" was the legally prescribed death for traitors. The four quarters were generally displayed at the four major city gates of London as a warning, while the heads were nailed onto "Traitors' Gate" at London Bridge (Sir William Wallace's was placed there), although at a somewhat later period they were put on Temple Bar . . . where I think it was Dr. Johnson who tipped his hat to the head of Sim Fraser, Lord Lovat, the last peer beheaded for treason in England.
You want to read some REAL heavy-duty academic nonsense, check this one out: Deconstructing identities on the scaffold: the execution of Hugh Despenser the Younger, 1326