The paintings of ‘Beer Street’ and ‘Gin Lane’ are perfect examples of William Hogarths intent to send a message to people through his art. The English painter lived during the eighteenth century and was very involved in society. He painted these prints as a set. They were meant to be viewed together. Hogarth’s message is strong and clear when looking deep into these prints. ‘Beer Street’ and ‘Gin Lane’ portray a strong contrast between the ideals of good and evil during eighteenth century England.
When quickly viewing these prints a general conclusion is drawn. ‘Beer Street’ is a healthy and prosperous area. ‘Gin Lane’ is poverty stricken and ful of chaos. Even the titles exhibit a difference of good and evil. ‘Beer Street’ refers the ideal result of people drinking good English beer, which at the time was healthier than the tap water. ‘Gin Lane’ refers to the very strong, new alcoholic drink which had to be imported. Without even looking deep into these prints you can already get a sense of what Hogarth is trying to imply. It’s when you take a deeper look at the prints that all the supporting details pop out.
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This implies that all of the occupants of ‘Beer Street’ are educated. His point is simple and straight forward. This is a sign of a town that has money. In the upper right of the print is a man who appears to have hung himself. When looking at what is in the hands of the townspeople you will find that the majority are holding some sort of tool. In the very bottom left corner of the print is the tavern “Gin Royal”. This is just one more of Hogarths efforts to tag gin as evil. It is the cause of the unmaintained and heavily damaged town in which Gin Lane lies. There is an abundance of food which was not taken for granted back in that time period. Along with food there is a tremendous amount of reading material. Education back in this period of time was looked highly upon. People sharing food with animals as well as men composed of nothing more than skin and bones are more examples of the poverty stricken lane. Perhaps the biggest corolation between the two prints is the scene occurring in front of the pawn shop. This theme of child abuse was used by Hogarth to shock and horrify the viewer. The consumption of gin leads to a meaningless and painful way of life.
Approximate Word count =
785
Approximate Pages =
3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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