British Culture - User contributions [en]

Richard Steele

2010-01-15T09:49:57Z

Vfroehlich:

Richard Steele (1672-1729) was an Irish writer, soldier and politician. After an education at Oxford, Steele entered the army in 1694. He also started writing around that time, his first literary success being [[''The Christian Hero'']] (1701), which discusses the role of men in society.

== Journalistic Career ==

In 1707, Steele began his hugely successful journalistic career. Together with [[Joseph Addison]], he published the magazines ''[[The Tatler]]'' (1709-1711), ''[[The Spectator]]'' (1711-1712) and ''[[The Guardian]]'' (until 1713), all of which gained big popularity and immense influence: the ''Spectator'' reached a readership of around 40,000 per issue between March 1711 and December 1712.
In their journalistic writings, Steele and Addison concerned themselves with a wide variety of social, literary and philosophical issues, such as the cultivation of sociability in rural [[gentry]], domestic harmony and the [[Separation of Spheres]]. The stylistic formula introduced by the ''Spectator'' – a polite correspondence between various writers and on several issues – was adopted and imitated by a number of subsequent papers.

== Political Career ==

In 1713, Steele joined the [[Whigs]] and became MP for Stockbridge. He published [[''The Crisis'']], a telling pamphlet on the Hanoverian succession in 1714. Apart from that, he gave out the Whig magazine ''[[The Englishman]]'' (October 1713 – February 1714), once again in cooperation with [[Joseph Addison]]. After a quarrel in 1718, however, the cooperation between the two men ceased.

== Literary Career ==

Steele’s later works were primarily literary. His dramatic works can be grouped under the label of [[Sentimental Comedy]], an attempt to support values such as morality, chastity and sensibility in drama. The most famous example from Richard Steele’s feather is probably his last play [[''The Conscious Lovers'']] (1722), which was an immediate hit and greatly contributed to the new cult of sensibility and emotions. For his services on the [[Hanoverian succession]], Steele was knighted and appointed supervisor of [[Drury Lane]] theatre.

== Sources ==
* Arnold-Baker, Charles. ''The Companion to British History''. Tunbridge Wells: Longcross Press, 1996.
* Cannon, John. ''A Dictionary of British History''. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001.
* Dickinson, H.T. ''A Companion to Eighteenth-Century Britain''. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2006.

Richard Steele

2010-01-15T09:49:33Z

Vfroehlich:

Richard Steele (1672-1729) was an Irish writer, soldier and politician. After an education at Oxford, Steele entered the army in 1694. He also started writing around that time, his first literary success being [[''The Christian Hero'']] (1701), which discusses the role of men in society.

== Journalistic Career ==

In 1707, Steele began his hugely successful journalistic career. Together with [[Joseph Addison]], he published the magazines ''[[The Tatler]]'' (1709-1711), ''[[The Spectator]]'' (1711-1712) and ''[[The Guardian]]'' (until 1713), all of which gained big popularity and immense influence: the ''Spectator'' reached a readership of around 40,000 per issue between March 1711 and December 1712.
In their journalistic writings, Steele and Addison concerned themselves with a wide variety of social, literary and philosophical issues, such as the cultivation of sociability in rural [[gentry]], domestic harmony and the [[Separation of Spheres]]. The stylistic formula introduced by the ''Spectator'' – a polite correspondence between various writers and on several issues – was adopted and imitated by a number of subsequent papers.

== Political Career ==

In 1713, Steele joined the [[Whigs]] and became MP for Stockbridge. He published [[''The Crisis'']], a telling pamphlet on the Hanoverian succession in 1714. Apart from that, he gave out the Whig magazine ''[[The Englishman]]'' (October 1713 – February 1714), once again in cooperation with [[Joseph Addison]]. After a quarrel in 1718, however, the cooperation between the two men ceased.

== Literary Career ==

Steele’s later works were primarily literary. His dramatic works can be grouped under the label of [[Sentimental Comedy]], an attempt to support values such as morality, chastity and sensibility in drama. The most famous example from Richard Steele’s feather is probably his last play [[''The Conscious Lovers'']] (1722), which was an immediate hit and greatly contributed to the new cult of sensibility and emotions. For his services on the [[Hanoverian succession]], Steele was knighted and appointed supervisor of [[Drury Lane]] theatre.

----

== Sources ==
* Arnold-Baker, Charles. ''The Companion to British History''. Tunbridge Wells: Longcross Press, 1996.
* Cannon, John. ''A Dictionary of British History''. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001.
* Dickinson, H.T. ''A Companion to Eighteenth-Century Britain''. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2006.

Richard Steele

2010-01-15T09:41:38Z

Vfroehlich: Created page with 'Richard Steele (1672-1729) was an Irish writer, soldier and politician. After an education at Oxford, Steele entered the army in 1694. He also started writing around that time, h…'

Way of the World

2009-12-02T13:02:00Z

Vfroehlich:

''The Way of the World'' (1700) is the fourth and last comedy of [[William Congreve]]. By modern critics, ''The Way of the World'' is regarded as Congreve’s best work, among other things because of its thematic complexity, its brilliant character creation and its stylistic grandeur. By his contemporaries, however, the play was received in a lukewarm way. It was far less successful than Congreve’s previous comedy [[''Love for Love'']] (1695).

Disappointed with this comparably bad reception of the play, Congreve retired from his dramatic career. This withdrawal from theatre, together with the death of [[John Dryden]], marked the end of [[Restoration Comedy]]. In the years to follow, the genre was replaced by [[Sentimental Comedy]], where the focus is rather on moral values and sentimental feelings.

Modern critics have ascribed the failure in success of ''The Way of the World'' to the fact that Congreve failed to adapt his own, personal wit to the various characters of the play. The witty, very polished way language does not seem to some of the characters in the play. Furthermore, putting the main focus of the play on wit seems to have led to a loss of naturalness in character, dialogue and also effectiveness of plot. Congreve’s polished, graceful style of writing on the other hand has also been listed as one of the many strengths of the play.

== Plot ==

The gallant Mirabell wants to marry the rich and attractive Millamant, but his goal is prevented by a row of obstacles. Half of Millamant’s dowry depends on the consent of her aunt, Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, however, is in love with Mirabell herself and refuses to consent to the marriage.
In order to achieve his aim, Mirabell devises an intrigue: Lady Wishfort shall be manoeuvred into a false marriage, which will only be resolved, if she grants the lovers the dowry.
Fainall, Lady Wishfort’s son-in-law, however, informs Lady Wishfort about this plot and thus foils it. Furthermore, he wants to blackmail Lady Wishfort himself, by threatening to make public an affair that his wife, her daughter, had with Mirabell before getting married. Lady Wishfort shall grant him her entire fortune, which he wants to use in order to lead a comfortable life with his mistress Marwood.
After a number of intrigues and counter-intrigues between Mirabell and Fainall the conflict is finally resolved. It turns out that Mirabell is in the possession of a certificate in which his former mistress Mrs. Fainall has transcribed her entire fortune to him – a measure of protection against the greedy Fainall. This means that Fainall is financially dependent on Mirabell and has to give up his intrigues against him and Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, grateful to Mirabell for saving her daughter’s reputation, finally consents to his marriage to Millamant.

As confusing as the constellation of characters and actions may seem at first glance, the underlying structure of ''The Way of the World'' is actually quite simple. Mirabell and Fainall both put pressure on Lady Wishfort in order to gain money for a comfortable live with the woman they love. Because of the several intrigues, mysteries and withheld pieces of information that only become clear during the course of the play, however, The Way of the Wojrld is experienced as confusing by many first-time watchers.

== Main Themes ==

One of the most crucial questions Congreve deals with in ''The Way of the World'' is which role contracts play in personal relationships, particularly in marriage. In 1651 [[Thomas Hobbes]] had published his work [[''Leviathan'']] in which he postulates a contract in society as the means of taming the inherently hostile human nature. In The Way of the World Congreve takes a more critical position towards contract theories. In the play, contracts are on the one hand depicted as means of protecting one’s own interests against the greed of others. On the other hand they are seen as a means of blackmailing and exploiting others. The position that Congreve seems to take is that successful relationships between human beings depend on mutual trust as much as on contracts.

----
References:

Black, Jeremy. ''An Illustrated History of Eighteenth-Century Britain: 1688-1793''. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1996.

Nettleton, George Henry. ''English Drama of the Restoration and Eighteenth Century (1642-1780)''. New York: Cooper Square, 1968.

Niederhoff, Burkhard. "''The Way of the World''". ''Kindlers Literatur Lexikon Online''. Ed. Heinz Ludwig Arnold. 2009. J.B. Metzler. 02. Dec. 2009. <http://web13.cedion.de/nxt/gateway.dll/kll/c/k0141400.xml/k0141400_030.xml?f=templates$fn=index.htm$q=[rank,500%3A[domain%3A[and%3A[field,body%3Away%20of%20the%20world]]][sum%3A[field,lemmatitle%3Away%20of%20the%20world][field,body%3Away%20of%20the%20world]]]$x=server$3.0#LPHit1>

Way of the World

2009-12-02T13:00:33Z

Vfroehlich:

''The Way of the World'' (1700) is the fourth and last comedy of [[William Congreve]]. By modern critics, ''The Way of the World'' is regarded as Congreve’s best work, among other things because of its thematic complexity, its brilliant character creation and its stylistic grandeur. By his contemporaries, however, the play was received in a lukewarm way. It was far less successful than Congreve’s previous comedy [[''Love for Love'']] (1695).

Disappointed with this comparably bad reception of the play, Congreve retired from his dramatic career. This withdrawal from theatre, together with the death of [[John Dryden]], marked the end of [[Restoration Comedy]]. In the years to follow, the genre was replaced by [[Sentimental Comedy]], where the focus is rather on moral values and sentimental feelings.

Modern critics have ascribed the failure in success of ''The Way of the World'' to the fact that Congreve failed to adapt his own, personal wit to the various characters of the play. The witty, very polished way language does not seem to some of the characters in the play. Furthermore, putting the main focus of the play on wit seems to have led to a loss of naturalness in character, dialogue and also effectiveness of plot. Congreve’s polished, graceful style of writing on the other hand has also been listed as one of the many strengths of the play.

== Plot ==

The gallant Mirabell wants to marry the rich and attractive Millamant, but his goal is prevented by a row of obstacles. Half of Millamant’s dowry depends on the consent of her aunt, Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, however, is in love with Mirabell herself and refuses to consent to the marriage.
In order to achieve his aim, Mirabell devises an intrigue: Lady Wishfort shall be manoeuvred into a false marriage, which will only be resolved, if she grants the lovers the dowry.
Fainall, Lady Wishfort’s son-in-law, however, informs Lady Wishfort about this plot and thus foils it. Furthermore, he wants to blackmail Lady Wishfort himself, by threatening to make public an affair that his wife, her daughter, had with Mirabell before getting married. Lady Wishfort shall grant him her entire fortune, which he wants to use in order to lead a comfortable life with his mistress Marwood.
After a number of intrigues and counter-intrigues between Mirabell and Fainall the conflict is finally resolved. It turns out that Mirabell is in the possession of a certificate in which his former mistress Mrs. Fainall has transcribed her entire fortune to him – a measure of protection against the greedy Fainall. This means that Fainall is financially dependent on Mirabell and has to give up his intrigues against him and Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, grateful to Mirabell for saving her daughter’s reputation, finally consents to his marriage to Millamant.

As confusing as the constellation of characters and actions may seem at first glance, the underlying structure of ''The Way of the World'' is actually quite simple. Mirabell and Fainall both put pressure on Lady Wishfort in order to gain money for a comfortable live with the woman they love. Because of the several intrigues, mysteries and withheld pieces of information that only become clear during the course of the play, however, The Way of the Wojrld is experienced as confusing by many first-time watchers.

== Main Themes ==

One of the most crucial questions Congreve deals with in ''The Way of the World'' is which role contracts play in personal relationships, particularly in marriage. In 1651 [[Thomas Hobbes]] had published his work [[''Leviathan'']] in which he postulates a contract in society as the means of taming the inherently hostile human nature. In The Way of the World Congreve takes a more critical position towards contract theories. In the play, contracts are on the one hand depicted as means of protecting one’s own interests against the greed of others. On the other hand they are seen as a means of blackmailing and exploiting others. The position that Congreve seems to take is that successful relationships between human beings depend on mutual trust as much as on contracts.

----
References:

Nettleton, George Henry. ''English Drama of the Restoration and Eighteenth Century (1642-1780)''. New York: Cooper Square, 1968.

Niederhoff, Burkhard. "''The Way of the World''". ''Kindlers Literatur Lexikon Online''. Ed. Heinz Ludwig Arnold. 2009. J.B. Metzler. 02. Dec. 2009. <http://web13.cedion.de/nxt/gateway.dll/kll/c/k0141400.xml/k0141400_030.xml?f=templates$fn=index.htm$q=[rank,500%3A[domain%3A[and%3A[field,body%3Away%20of%20the%20world]]][sum%3A[field,lemmatitle%3Away%20of%20the%20world][field,body%3Away%20of%20the%20world]]]$x=server$3.0#LPHit1>

Way of the World

2009-12-02T12:58:04Z

Vfroehlich:

''The Way of the World'' (1700) is the fourth and last comedy of [[William Congreve]]. By modern critics, T''he Way of the World'' is regarded as Congreve’s best work, among other things because of its thematic complexity, its brilliant character creation and its stylistic grandeur. By his contemporaries, however, the play was received in a lukewarm way. It was far less successful than Congreve’s previous comedy [[''Love for Love'']] (1695).

Disappointed with this comparably bad reception of the play, Congreve retired from his dramatic career. This withdrawal from theatre, together with the death of [[John Dryden]], marked the end of [[Restoration Comedy]]. In the years to follow, the genre was replaced by [[Sentimental Comedy]], where the focus is rather on moral values and sentimental feelings.

Modern critics have ascribed the failure in success of ''The Way of the World'' to the fact that Congreve failed to adapt his own, personal wit to the various characters of the play. The witty, very polished way language does not seem to some of the characters in the play. Furthermore, putting the main focus of the play on wit seems to have led to a loss of naturalness in character, dialogue and also effectiveness of plot. Congreve’s polished, graceful style of writing on the other hand has also been listed as one of the many strengths of the play.

== Plot ==

The gallant Mirabell wants to marry the rich and attractive Millamant, but his goal is prevented by a row of obstacles. Half of Millamant’s dowry depends on the consent of her aunt, Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, however, is in love with Mirabell herself and refuses to consent to the marriage.
In order to achieve his aim, Mirabell devises an intrigue: Lady Wishfort shall be manoeuvred into a false marriage, which will only be resolved, if she grants the lovers the dowry.
Fainall, Lady Wishfort’s son-in-law, however, informs Lady Wishfort about this plot and thus foils it. Furthermore, he wants to blackmail Lady Wishfort himself, by threatening to make public an affair that his wife, her daughter, had with Mirabell before getting married. Lady Wishfort shall grant him her entire fortune, which he wants to use in order to lead a comfortable life with his mistress Marwood.
After a number of intrigues and counter-intrigues between Mirabell and Fainall the conflict is finally resolved. It turns out that Mirabell is in the possession of a certificate in which his former mistress Mrs. Fainall has transcribed her entire fortune to him – a measure of protection against the greedy Fainall. This means that Fainall is financially dependent on Mirabell and has to give up his intrigues against him and Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, grateful to Mirabell for saving her daughter’s reputation, finally consents to his marriage to Millamant.

As confusing as the constellation of characters and actions may seem at first glance, the underlying structure of ''The Way of the World'' is actually quite simple. Mirabell and Fainall both put pressure on Lady Wishfort in order to gain money for a comfortable live with the woman they love. Because of the several intrigues, mysteries and withheld pieces of information that only become clear during the course of the play, however, The Way of the Wojrld is experienced as confusing by many first-time watchers.

== Main Themes ==

One of the most crucial questions Congreve deals with in ''The Way of the World'' is which role contracts play in personal relationships, particularly in marriage. In 1651 [[Thomas Hobbes]] had published his work [[''Leviathan'']] in which he postulates a contract in society as the means of taming the inherently hostile human nature. In The Way of the World Congreve takes a more critical position towards contract theories. In the play, contracts are on the one hand depicted as means of protecting one’s own interests against the greed of others. On the other hand they are seen as a means of blackmailing and exploiting others. The position that Congreve seems to take is that successful relationships between human beings depend on mutual trust as much as on contracts.

----
References:

Niederhoff, Burkhard. "''The Way of the World''". ''Kindlers Literatur Lexikon Online''. Ed. Heinz Ludwig Arnold. 2009. J.B. Metzler. 02. Dec. 2009. <http://web13.cedion.de/nxt/gateway.dll/kll/c/k0141400.xml/k0141400_030.xml?f=templates$fn=index.htm$q=[rank,500%3A[domain%3A[and%3A[field,body%3Away%20of%20the%20world]]][sum%3A[field,lemmatitle%3Away%20of%20the%20world][field,body%3Away%20of%20the%20world]]]$x=server$3.0#LPHit1>

Way of the World

2009-12-02T12:49:05Z

Vfroehlich:

Way of the World

2009-12-02T12:46:44Z

Vfroehlich: Created page with 'The Way of the World (1700) is the fourth and last comedy of William Congreve. By modern critics, The Way of the World is regarded as Congreve’s best work, among other things b…'

The Way of the World (1700) is the fourth and last comedy of William Congreve. By modern critics, The Way of the World is regarded as Congreve’s best work, among other things because of its thematic complexity, its brilliant character creation and its stylistic grandeur. By his contemporaries, however, the play was received in a lukewarm way. It was far less successful than Congreve’s previous comedy Love for Love (1695).

Disappointed with this comparably bad reception of the play, Congreve retired from his dramatic career. This withdrawal from theatre, together with the death of John Dryden, marked the end of Restoration Comedy. In the years to follow, the genre was replaced by Sentimental Comedy, where the focus is rather on moral values and sentimental feelings.

Modern critics have ascribed the failure in success of The Way of the World to the fact that Congreve failed to adapt his own, personal wit to the various characters of the play. The witty, very polished way language does not seem to some of the characters in the play. Furthermore, putting the main focus of the play on wit seems to have led to a loss of naturalness in character, dialogue and also effectiveness of plot. Congreve’s polished, graceful style of writing on the other hand has also been listed as one of the many strengths of the play.

== Plot ==

The gallant Mirabell wants to marry the rich and attractive Millamant, but his goal is prevented by a row of obstacles. Half of Millamant’s dowry depends on the consent of her aunt, Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, however, is in love with Mirabell herself and refuses to consent to the marriage.
In order to achieve his aim, Mirabell devises an intrigue: Lady Wishfort shall be manoeuvred into a false marriage, which will only be resolved, if she grants the lovers the dowry.
Fainall, Lady Wishfort’s son-in-law, however, informs Lady Wishfort about this plot and thus foils it. Furthermore, he wants to blackmail Lady Wishfort himself, by threatening to make public an affair that his wife, her daughter, had with Mirabell before getting married. Lady Wishfort shall grant him her entire fortune, which he wants to use in order to lead a comfortable life with his mistress Marwood.
After a number of intrigues and counter-intrigues between Mirabell and Fainall the conflict is finally resolved. It turns out that Mirabell is in the possession of a certificate in which his former mistress Mrs. Fainall has transcribed her entire fortune to him – a measure of protection against the greedy Fainall. This means that Fainall is financially dependent on Mirabell and has to give up his intrigues against him and Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort, grateful to Mirabell for saving her daughter’s reputation, finally consents to his marriage to Millamant.

As confusing as the constellation of characters and actions may seem at first glance, the underlying structure of The Way of the World is actually quite simple. Mirabell and Fainall both put pressure on Lady Wishfort in order to gain money for a comfortable live with the woman they love. Because of the several intrigues, mysteries and withheld pieces of information that only become clear during the course of the play, however, The Way of the Wojrld is experienced as confusing by many first-time watchers.

== Main Themes ==

One of the most crucial questions Congreve deals with in The Way of the World is which role contracts play in personal relationships, particularly in marriage. In 1651 Thomas Hobbes had published his work Leviathan in which he postulates a contract in society as the means of taming the inherently hostile human nature. In The Way of the World Congreve takes a more critical position towards contract theories. In the play, contracts are on the one hand depicted as means of protecting one’s own interests against the greed of others. On the other hand they are seen as a means of blackmailing and exploiting others. The position that Congreve seems to take is that successful relationships between human beings depend on mutual trust as much as on contracts.

----

William Hogarth

2009-11-04T22:22:39Z

Vfroehlich:

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was a [[London]]-born artist and engraver who became famous primarily for his so-called ‘modern moral subjects’, political and satirical pieces in which he attacked the vices of his age (Donald 1). Still today, his works are known for their provocative character and their ridiculing of both [[Renaissance]]-based ideals of good taste and the mores of society, especially of the upper classes (Hargreaves 482-483).

----

'''Influence on Art'''

Although already famous during his lifetime, Hogarth’s reputation even grew after his death in 1764. He has often been described as the greatest satirical artist of the [[eighteenth century]] and as the inventor of the genre of [[caricature]]. Hogarth himself, however, always rejected the label of a caricaturist, since – while caricatures gained big popularity among aristocratic collectors – caricaturists themselves where often scorned and frowned upon (West 172). Still, he must be considered the key figure of this particular artistic development. The then new form of [[social satire]] was in fact probably his invention (Donald 32).

Like many of his contemporaries, Hogarth’s works combined dense emblematic imagery and elaborate details. He was thus able to create dramatic narratives in a visualised form, working primarily via the means of composition and a very realistic depiction of gestures and facial features (Donald 1). His characterisation of different social classes is often subtle and only emerges in the many details that are characteristic of his works (Donald 11). At the same time, he often undermined the upper classes by an exaggeration and deformation of their physical traits, exposing their individual and moral deformity (West 172).

Gaining his imagery both form classic history and folk culture, Hogarth also contributed to a dissolution of the boundaries between [[‘high’ and ‘low’ culture]], since in his pictures, one constantly infiltrated the other and made distinctions difficult. This also provided the basis for the big social range of his audience (Donald 2).

Like many other caricaturists of the times, he contributed to the creation of a public opinion and a political consciousness by openly attacking the ruling classes. Because of this fact, caricature was often described as a distinctly British art form by contemporaries (Dondald 2). It thus conformed to the stereotype of England as a country of freedom and liberalism (West 172).

----

'''Topics'''

Despite his critique of the mores of society, Hogarth was actually a devout patriot who tried to improve moral standards via his works (Donald 2). Art, for him, was a medium that could be used to improve society (Black 151). His deep contempt for party politics shows in many of his works, where he attacks both the [[Tories]] and the [[Whigs]] for their corrupt political practices (Donald 1). With his paintings and engravings, he did not only aim to make people laugh, but also do make them reflect on the social mores of the times. His works thus often convey a deep “human comprehensiveness and moral seriousness” (Donald 34) beneath their humorous facade.

----

'''Works Cited'''

Black, Jeremy. ''An Illustrated History of Eighteenth-Century Britain: 1688-1793.'' Manchester, Manchester UP, 1997.

Donald, Diana. ''The Age of Caricature: Satirical Prints in the Reign of George III.'' New
Haven: Yale UP, 1996.

Hargreaves, Alan. “Hogarth, William.” ''The Oxford Companion to British History.'' Ed. John
Cannon. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1997. 482-483.

West, Shearer. “The De-formed Face of Democracy: Class, Comedy and Character in
Eighteenth-Century British Portraiture.” ''Culture and Society in Britain: 1660-1800.''
Ed. Jeremy Black. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1997. 163-188.

William Hogarth

2009-10-31T10:17:49Z

Vfroehlich:

== William Hogarth ==

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was a [[London]]-born, artist and engraver who became famous primarily for his so-called ‘modern moral subjects’, political and satirical pieces in which he attacked the vices of his age (Donald 1). Still today, his works are known for their provocative character and their ridiculing of both [[Renaissance]]-based ideals of good taste and the mores of society, especially of the upper classes (Hargreaves 482-483).

----

'''Influence on Art'''

Although already famous during his lifetime, Hogarth’s reputation even grew after his death in 1764. He has often been described as the greatest satirical artist of the [[eighteenth century]] and as the inventor of the genre of [[caricature]]. Hogarth himself, however, always rejected the label of a caricaturist, since – while caricatures gained big popularity among aristocratic collectors – caricaturists themselves where often scorned and frowned upon (West 172). Still, he must be considered the key figure of this particular artistic development. The then new form of [[social satire]] was in fact probably his invention (Donald 32).

Like many of his contemporaries, Hogarth’s works combined dense emblematic imagery and elaborate details. He was thus able to create dramatic narratives in a visualised form, working primarily via the means of composition and a very realistic depiction of gestures and facial features (Donald 1). His characterisation of different social classes is often subtle and only emerges in the many details that are characteristic of his works (Donald 11). At the same time, he often undermined the upper classes by an exaggeration and deformation of their physical traits, exposing their individual and moral deformity (West 172).

Gaining his imagery both form classic history and folk culture, Hogarth also contributed to a dissolution of the boundaries between [[‘high’ and ‘low’ culture]], since in his pictures, one constantly infiltrated the other and made distinctions difficult. This also provided the basis for the big social range of his audience (Donald 2).

Like many other caricaturists of the times, he contributed to the creation of a public opinion and a political consciousness by openly attacking the ruling classes. Because of this fact, caricature was often described as a distinctly British art form by contemporaries (Dondald 2). It thus conformed to the stereotype of England as a country of freedom and liberalism (West 172).

----

'''Topics'''

Despite his critique against the mores of society, Hogarth was actually a devout patriot who tried to improve moral standards via his works (Donald 2). Art, for him, was a medium that could be used to improve society (Black 151). His deep contempt for party politics shows in many of his works, where he attacks both the [[Tories]] and the [[Whigs]] for their corrupt political practices (Donald 1). With his paintings and engravings, he did not only aim to make people laugh, but also do make them reflect on the social mores of the times. His works thus often convey a deep “human comprehensiveness and moral seriousness” (Donald 34) beneath their humorous facade.

----

'''Works Cited'''

Black, Jeremy. ''An Illustrated History of Eighteenth-Century Britain: 1688-1793.'' Manchester, Manchester UP, 1997.

Donald, Diana. ''The Age of Caricature: Satirical Prints in the Reign of George III.'' New
Haven: Yale UP, 1996.

Hargreaves, Alan. “Hogarth, William.” ''The Oxford Companion to British History.'' Ed. John
Cannon. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1997. 482-483.

West, Shearer. “The De-formed Face of Democracy: Class, Comedy and Character in
Eighteenth-Century British Portraiture.” ''Culture and Society in Britain: 1660-1800.''
Ed. Jeremy Black. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1997. 163-188.

William Hogarth

2009-10-31T10:16:52Z

Vfroehlich:

== William Hogarth ==

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was a [[London]]-born, artist and engraver who became famous primarily for his so-called ‘modern moral subjects’, political and satirical pieces in which he attacked the vices of his age (Donald 1). Still today, his works are known for their provocative character and their ridiculing of both [[Renaissance]]-based ideals of good taste and the mores of society, especially of the upper classes (Hargreaves 482-483).

----

'''Influence on Art'''

Although already famous during his lifetime, Hogarth’s reputation even grew after his death in 1764. He has often been described as the greatest satirical artist of the [[eighteenth century]] and as the inventor of the genre of [[caricature]]. Hogarth himself, however, always rejected the label of a caricaturist, since – while caricatures gained big popularity among aristocratic collectors – caricaturists themselves where often scorned and frowned upon (West 172). Still, he must be considered the key figure of this particular artistic development. The then new form of [[social satire]] was in fact probably his invention (Donald 32).

Like many of his contemporaries, Hogarth’s works combined dense emblematic imagery and elaborate details. He was thus able to create dramatic narratives in a visualised form, working primarily via the means of composition and a very realistic depiction of gestures and facial features (Donald 1). His characterisation of different social classes is often subtle and only emerges in the many details that are characteristic of his works (Donald 11). At the same time, he often undermined the upper classes by an exaggeration and deformation of their physical traits, exposing their individual and moral deformity (West 172).

Gaining his imagery both form classic history and folk culture, Hogarth also contributed to a dissolution of the boundaries between [[‘high’ and ‘low’ culture]], since in his pictures, one constantly infiltrated the other and made distinctions difficult. This also provided the basis for the big social range of his audience (Donald 2).

Like many other caricaturists of the times, he contributed to the creation of a public opinion and a political consciousness by openly attacking the ruling classes. Because of this fact, caricature was often described as a distinctly British art form by contemporaries (Dondald 2). It thus conformed to the stereotype of England as a country of freedom and liberalism (West 172).

----

'''Topics'''

Despite his critique against the mores of society, Hogarth was actually a devout patriot who tried to improve moral standards via his works (Donald 2). Art, for him, was a medium that could be used to improve society (Black 151). His deep contempt for party politics shows in many of his works, where he attacks both the [[Tories]] and the [[Whigs]] for their corrupt political practices (Donald 1). With his paintings and engravings, he did not only aim to make people laugh, but also do make them reflect on the social mores of the times. His works thus often convey a deep “human comprehensiveness and moral seriousness” (Donald 34) beneath their humorous facade.

----

'''Works Cited'''

Black, Jeremy. ''An Illustrated History of Eighteenth-Century Britain: 1688-1793.'' Manchester,
Manchester UP, 1997.
Donald, Diana. ''The Age of Caricature: Satirical Prints in the Reign of George III.'' New
Haven: Yale UP, 1996.
Hargreaves, Alan. “Hogarth, William.” ''The Oxford Companion to British History.'' Ed. John
Cannon. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1997. 482-483.
West, Shearer. “The De-formed Face of Democracy: Class, Comedy and Character in
Eighteenth-Century British Portraiture.” ''Culture and Society in Britain: 1660-1800.''
Ed. Jeremy Black. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1997. 163-188.

William Hogarth

2009-10-31T10:15:15Z

Vfroehlich:

== William Hogarth ==

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was a [[London]]-born, artist and engraver who became famous primarily for his so-called ‘modern moral subjects’, political and satirical pieces in which he attacked the vices of his age (Donald 1). Still today, his works are known for their provocative character and their ridiculing of both [[Renaissance]]-based ideals of good taste and the mores of society, especially of the upper classes (Hargreaves 482-483).

'''Influence on Art'''

Although already famous during his lifetime, Hogarth’s reputation even grew after his death in 1764. He has often been described as the greatest satirical artist of the [[eighteenth century]] and as the inventor of the genre of [[caricature]]. Hogarth himself, however, always rejected the label of a caricaturist, since – while caricatures gained big popularity among aristocratic collectors – caricaturists themselves where often scorned and frowned upon (West 172). Still, he must be considered the key figure of this particular artistic development. The then new form of [[social satire]] was in fact probably his invention (Donald 32).

Like many of his contemporaries, Hogarth’s works combined dense emblematic imagery and elaborate details. He was thus able to create dramatic narratives in a visualised form, working primarily via the means of composition and a very realistic depiction of gestures and facial features (Donald 1). His characterisation of different social classes is often subtle and only emerges in the many details that are characteristic of his works (Donald 11). At the same time, he often undermined the upper classes by an exaggeration and deformation of their physical traits, exposing their individual and moral deformity (West 172).

Gaining his imagery both form classic history and folk culture, Hogarth also contributed to a dissolution of the boundaries between [[‘high’ and ‘low’ culture]], since in his pictures, one constantly infiltrated the other and made distinctions difficult. This also provided the basis for the big social range of his audience (Donald 2).

Like many other caricaturists of the times, he contributed to the creation of a public opinion and a political consciousness by openly attacking the ruling classes. Because of this fact, caricature was often described as a distinctly British art form by contemporaries (Dondald 2). It thus conformed to the stereotype of England as a country of freedom and liberalism (West 172).

'''Topics'''

Despite his critique against the mores of society, Hogarth was actually a devout patriot who tried to improve moral standards via his works (Donald 2). Art, for him, was a medium that could be used to improve society (Black 151). His deep contempt for party politics shows in many of his works, where he attacks both the [[Tories]] and the [[Whigs]] for their corrupt political practices (Donald 1). With his paintings and engravings, he did not only aim to make people laugh, but also do make them reflect on the social mores of the times. His works thus often convey a deep “human comprehensiveness and moral seriousness” (Donald 34) beneath their humorous facade.

'''Works Cited'''

Black, Jeremy. ''An Illustrated History of Eighteenth-Century Britain: 1688-1793.'' Manchester,
Manchester UP, 1997.
Donald, Diana. ''The Age of Caricature: Satirical Prints in the Reign of George III.'' New
Haven: Yale UP, 1996.
Hargreaves, Alan. “Hogarth, William.” ''The Oxford Companion to British History.'' Ed. John
Cannon. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1997. 482-483.
West, Shearer. “The De-formed Face of Democracy: Class, Comedy and Character in
Eighteenth-Century British Portraiture.” ''Culture and Society in Britain: 1660-1800.''
Ed. Jeremy Black. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1997. 163-188.

William Hogarth

2009-10-31T10:12:58Z

Vfroehlich: Created page with '== William Hogarth == William Hogarth (1697-1764) was a London-born, artist and engraver who became famous primarily for his so-called ‘modern moral subjects’, political a…'

== William Hogarth ==

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was a London-born, artist and engraver who became famous primarily for his so-called ‘modern moral subjects’, political and satirical pieces in which he attacked the vices of his age (Donald 1). Still today, his works are known for their provocative character and their ridiculing of both Renaissance-based ideals of good taste and the mores of society, especially of the upper classes (Hargreaves 482-483).

'''Influence on Art'''

Although already famous during his lifetime, Hogarth’s reputation even grew after his death in 1764. He has often been described as the greatest satirical artist of the eighteenth century and as the inventor of the genre of caricature. Hogarth himself, however, always rejected the label of a caricaturist, since – while caricatures gained big popularity among aristocratic collectors – caricaturists themselves where often scorned and frowned upon (West 172). Still, he must be considered the key figure of this particular artistic development. The then new form of social satire was in fact probably his invention (Donald 32).

Like many of his contemporaries, Hogarth’s works combined dense emblematic imagery and elaborate details. He was thus able to create dramatic narratives in a visualised form, working primarily via the means of composition and a very realistic depiction of gestures and facial features (Donald 1). His characterisation of different social classes is often subtle and only emerges in the many details that are characteristic of his works (Donald 11). At the same time, he often undermined the upper classes by an exaggeration and deformation of their physical traits, exposing their individual and moral deformity (West 172).

Gaining his imagery both form classic history and folk culture, Hogarth also contributed to a dissolution of the boundaries between ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture, since in his pictures, one constantly infiltrated the other and made distinctions difficult. This also provided the basis for the big social range of his audience (Donald 2).

Like many other caricaturists of the times, he contributed to the creation of a public opinion and a political consciousness by openly attacking the ruling classes. Because of this fact, caricature was often described as a distinctly British art form by contemporaries (Dondald 2). It thus conformed to the stereotype of England as a country of freedom and liberalism (West 172).

'''Topics'''

Despite his critique against the mores of society, Hogarth was actually a devout patriot who tried to improve moral standards via his works (Donald 2). Art, for him, was a medium that could be used to improve society (Black 151). His deep contempt for party politics shows in many of his works, where he attacks both the Tories and the Whigs for their corrupt political practices (Donald 1). With his paintings and engravings, he did not only aim to make people laugh, but also do make them reflect on the social mores of the times. His works thus often convey a deep “human comprehensiveness and moral seriousness” (Donald 34) beneath their humorous facade.

'''Works Cited'''

Black, Jeremy. ''An Illustrated History of Eighteenth-Century Britain: 1688-1793.'' Manchester,
Manchester UP, 1997.
Donald, Diana. ''The Age of Caricature: Satirical Prints in the Reign of George III.'' New
Haven: Yale UP, 1996.
Hargreaves, Alan. “Hogarth, William.” ''The Oxford Companion to British History.'' Ed. John
Cannon. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1997. 482-483.
West, Shearer. “The De-formed Face of Democracy: Class, Comedy and Character in
Eighteenth-Century British Portraiture.” ''Culture and Society in Britain: 1660-1800.''
Ed. Jeremy Black. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1997. 163-188.