Hudibras and the Skimmington, plate seven from Hudibras

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

William Hogarth illustrated the story of a sad-sack adventurer named Hudibras in twelve engravings. His source was Samuel Butler’s satirical, mock-heroic poem written in the vein of Cervantes and Rabelais. Ridiculing the puritan party’s attempts to overthrow the British monarchy during the Great Civil War of 1640, Butler’s poem exposes the hypocrisy and pretensions of the Presbyterians, Independents, and Zealots who hoped to establish themselves as leaders. When Hudibras mistakes a traditional parade celebrating nagging wives for a satanic gathering, it quickly turns into a food fight targeted at the erstwhile adventurer: “At that an Egg let fly— Hit him directly o’er the Eye, And running down his Cheek, besmeard, With Orange tawny-slime his Beard.”

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