The king sits "high up on his throne of state," directly above the opening where the accused enters the arena. Across from the king are the two doors, one of which the accused person must open. In other words, the king has a prime view of the person making the fateful decision, but he cannot be seen by the accused unless the accused turns around.
Because he is so high up and on a throne, the king must be easily visible to his subjects and an important part of the spectacle. His good view of the doors suggests that he likes to be among the first to see the fate of his accused subject. It also suggests that the king is a bit bloodthirsty and might enjoy a good view of those who get eaten by the famished tiger.
The "semi-barbaric" king sits high on his throne directly above the door where the accused subjects enter the amphitheater. On the opposite side of the amphitheater are the two doors, where either a ferocious tiger or lovely woman enters the arena, which randomly depends on what door the accused subject chooses. The king believes that his method of administering justice is perfectly sound, and the institution is very popular throughout the kingdom. When a courtier falls in love with the king's jealous daughter, he is sent into the amphitheater to test his fate by choosing either door on the opposite side of the arena. When the courtier enters the arena, he looks directly at the king's daughter for direction. The princess ends up signaling to the courtier what door to choose, but Stockton does not reveal the courtier's fate.
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