1761

//The Manchester Mercury and Harrop’s General Advertiser// is a well-known British newspaper founded by Joseph Harrop in 1752. Since its establishment, //The Manchester Mercury// became a weekly Tuesday’s newspaper that was published in Manchester, England until its expiration on December 28th, 1830 upon the successor James Harrop’s death (“Remains” 1860, p. 108). Although it was not sold in large publications due to its cheap printing materials and some reprints from other periodicals, //The Manchester Mercury// covers a wide range of topics including politics, trades, sports, advertisements, and current events in various areas such as the ongoing Seven Year’s War. The Seven Year’s War was a global military war involving the great powers of Europe, Central America, North American, India and the Philippines. The Seven Year’s War began on 1756 as it was instigated by the power struggle between Great Britain and the Bourbons in Spain and France over colonies and trade empires, as well as driven by the territorial and hegemonic conflicts between Prussia and Austria. The Seven Year’s War lasted until 1762. The year of 1761 marked the near end of the Seven Year’s War despite the warfare, invasions, natural disasters, trades, and deaths of significant figures that have strained the nation. In the early 1761, the British captured Pondicherry, India from the French shortly after the Afghans’ defeat by the Marathas during the Third Battle of Panipat. In the Issue 465 of //The Manchester Mercury//, Harrop accounted the number of weapons and deaths due to the Seven Year’s War, as well as the falling power of other nations such as France, who suffers many losses of men and territories as the war prolonged. Based on //The Manchester Mercury//, the nations involved with the Seven Year’s War were all suffering not only from deaths, loss of territories, lack of adequate supplies and wealth, and decreasing military power, but were also enduring natural disasters. For instance, upon losing Pondicherry, France suffered from the hunger of wealth, as well as hurricanes that have caused disasters in many cities. In the meanwhile, Great Britain experienced several earthquakes in various cities shortly after its invasion of Pondicherry, and was recovering from many injuries and losses. In Issue 469 of //The Manchester Mercury//, Harrop mentioned that many subjects of the battling nations suffered from high taxes and hardship due to the demands of the expensive wars. Though, despite the warfare, natural disasters, and high tariffs, Great Britain continued to trade by expanding its passes and opening up sections of canals that lead to the ports of Manchester. Merchants continued to trade and expand their businesses. For instance, the Issue 494 of //The Manchester Mercury// announced the opening of several shops in Manchester such as John Rothwell’s shop with fresh assortment of goods in St. Mary’s-Gate. Furthermore, theaters continued to produce plays to entertain the English people. Famous plays such as //The Jealous Wife// and //The London Merchant// were produced repeated at the Theatres Royal in London, England. In addition to trades and business establishments, //The Manchester Mercury// also revealed the inventions of the people during the 18th century. In Issue 494, Harrop exposed the invention of an Elixir and the Scots Pills as the new cure for various disorders to prevent the increasing number of deaths. Whether the treatments were effective or not remains questionable; however, the search of new medical treatments demonstrates the desperation of survival during the period of hardship and warfare. During the late 1761, George III of Great Britain married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Shortly after their marriage, George III and Charlotte were officially crowned on September 22, 1761. George III’s marriage and Coronation are mentioned in various September issues in //The Manchester Mercury// as both were the most significant political events during the year. //The Manchester Mercury// expresses pleasure and joy upon the celebration of King George III and Queen Charlotte’s marriage and Coronation, describing the events as blessings of the United Kingdom. In fact, alliances are formed shortly after the Coronation, while quarrels between the main powers such as England and Portugal augmented. Overall, 1761 marked a period of a new monarchy in Great Britain as well as the continuing hardship of warfare and natural disasters.
 * 1761: The Seven Year’s War and the Prosperity of the London Stages**

Despite the ongoing Seven Year’s War, the year of 1761 was notably a “well regulated” season for the theaters in England. There were no riots or actors’ disputes in the press; however, the government was alert to the possible abuses and violations of the Stage Licensing Act, which was enacted in 1737 in order to place censorship on the British stage while granting the lord chamberlain the authority to approve any play before its performance on stage. As a result, several performance companies were prohibited performances on major theaters due to minor disturbances, while some were allowed by authority at minor establishments. During the early theatrical season in 1761, the number of enlightening comments from diarists and letter writers, such as Walpole and Charlotte Fermor, on plays and stage performances increased, pushing the theatrical performances toward fine acting (Stone 807). However, several plays required exceptionable passages expunged before they could be performed, due to violation of the Stage Licensing Act and the disturbances they have aroused. Furthermore, several plays were performed as a special celebration for the incoming monarch George III, after his father’s death in the late 1760. The court attended the theaters and generally supported the theater business, as major companies competed for higher play productions and permission to use major theaters such as the Little Theater in the Haymarket and the Drury Lane (Stone 807-808). Overall, the theaters prospered in play productions and stable employment in order to make up for the loss of nineteen playing days in the late 1760 due to the nation’s mourning of George II’s death. Many notable producers such as Garrick and John Rich produced various successful plays that continued to improve from sensible criticisms, giving rise to many famous actors and actresses as well. Unfortunately, John Rich’s death in November, 1761 marked the end of “a long and great theatrical dynasty at Covent Garden,” and the management is inherited by his son-in-law, John Beard (Stone 881). Many producers abolished stage loungers at benefit performances and incorporated narrative dancing as a movement towards fine acting. The three topical events of the season included “the coronation of George III, his marriage to Charlotte of Mecklenberg,” and “the affair of the Cock Lane Ghost” that prompted the revival of Addison’s comedy of 1715, //The Drummer; or, The Haunted House// (Stone 882). Overall, in the later season of 1761, theaters produced many famous performances, engaging a large crew of performers, in order to regain from the loss of the nineteen playing days in the previous season. As it seems, the London stages were not affected by the Seven Year’s War. Despite the size and popularity of the theaters, London thrived from the entertainments and productions of the theater industry during the 1761.
 * The London Stage**

//The Jealous Wife// is a comedy written in 1761 by George Colman, an English dramatist who is also called the Elder to distinguish him from his son. //The Jealous Wife// was first performed at the Drury Lane Theater on February 12, 1761. Several parts of the play were borrowed from Henry Fielding’s inspirational novel, //Tom Jones//. Despite its partially borrowed contents, //The Jealous Wife// was a great opening success and consistently played for the rest of the century, as it has its own effective story plot and satire. //The Jealous Wife// is a satire of the gender roles of the society, as Mr. Oakly strives to escape his wife, Mrs. Oakly’s dominance and suspicion. Mrs. Oakly receives a letter from Harriot Russet’s father, claiming that she has eloped with Charles Oakly, Mr. Oakly’s newphew. However, Mrs. Oakly refuses to reveal the letter and becomes suspicious of Mr. Oakly, who aims to reassure her jealousy by asserting his innocence even though the letter is directed to Charles. Mr. Oakly is subjugated to his wife’s love which has confined him to his “House, like a State Prisoner, without the liberty of seeing [his] friends, or the Use of Pen, Ink, and Paper (Colman Act 1 Scene 1). Mr. Oakly’s brother, Major Oakly urges Mr. Oakly to refute Mrs. Oakly’s suppression, while Mr. Oakly discredits Major Oakly, claiming that his reason for being a single man is his inability to love and to perceive women as equal. In the meanwhile, Charles denies having eloped with Harriot and announces that Harriot has run off to escape her unwanted marriage with Sir Harry Beagle. Upon their meeting to discuss Harriot’s disappearance, Henry Russet claims that Sir Harry Beagle should care for Harriot’s whereabouts rather than wealth, and sets off after becoming outrageous at the fact that Harriot has run off to Lady Freelove’s home in Soho, an area in which Charles also resides. In Act 1, scene 1, Mr. Oakly insinuates that his wife’s “outrageous Jealousy is the Devil,” which foreshadows her attempt to hide her jealousy and suspicion of her husband’s love affair with Harriot until the grand deception reveals (Colman Act 1 Scene 1). When Mr. Oakly offers Harriot shelter at his house, Mrs. Oakly becomes outrageously jealous and accuses Mr. Oakly for being unfaithful. Mr. Oakly becomes fed up with Mrs. Oakly’s mood swings as though it is “Made up of Storms and Tempests” (Colman Act 1 Scene 4). Furthermore, Lady Freelove intends to match Harriot with Lord Trinket in order to increase the dignity of the family. Harriot refuses to marry Lord Trinket due to a lack of love, while Lady Freelove scoffs at her for being prude. Lady Freelove sets up a meeting between Harriot and Lord Trinket. Upon Lady Freelove’s departure to meet with Henry Russet and Sir Harry Beagle, Lord Trinket advances on Harriot, who struggles and cries for help until Charles enters to save her and gets into a fight with Lord Trinket. Lady Freelove and Sir Harry Beagle stop the fight, and both Charles and Lord Trinket leave after verbal disagreements.  Lady Freelove advises Lord Trinket to fix the situation by proposing directly to Harriet, even though Lord Trinket secretly intends to bed Harriot without marrying her afterward. Harriot seeks shelter from Mr. Oakly, who is aware of his wife’s jealousy and offers to house Harriot in another private lodging until her marriage to Charles is settled. Mrs. Oakly overhears her husband’s offer and bursts in outrageously, accusing Mr. Oakly of adultery. At the same time, Henry Russet enters and challenges Mr. Oakly to a duel and takes Harriot away before drunk Charles can touch her. In the meanwhile, Mrs. Oakly blames Major Oakly for encouraging her husband to commit adultery and behave in unpleasant manners. Lastly, Harriot obeys her father’s command to receive Sir Harry Beagle’s addresses even though she insists on refuting his marriage proposal. However, Harriot refuses to run away with Charles by claiming that his drunken behavior from the previous night has made him untrustworthy. In Act 5, Henry Russet and Sir Harry Beagle have been captured and sent to the navy. Shortly after, Lord Trinket kidnaps Harriot, who is luckily saved by Charles who threatens Lord Trinket with a pair of pistols. Lady Freelove urges Lord Trinket to free Henry Russet and Sir Harry Beagle upon the agreement that she will convince Russet to allow his daughter’s marriage to Lord Trinket. On the other hand, Mrs. Oakly becomes outrage in her failure to discover Mr. Oakly’s whereabouts and swears to give him the silent treatment. Major Oakly urges Mr. Oakly to hide from his wife until she goes downstairs and fights with Mr. Oakly, who stands strong on his ground until Harriot confesses that she loves Charles, not Mr. Oakly. Lastly, Mrs. Oakly realizes her unreasonable jealousy and reconciles with Mr. Oakly, while Charles reveals Lord Trinket’s kidnapping plan and obtains Russet’s approval to marry Harriot.
 * //The Jealous Wife// (1761)**

Although //The Jealous Wife// does not include many implications toward the Seven Year’s War, it is a satire that ridicules the gender and social class differences that have prevailed England for the past centuries. The relationship of Mr. Oakly and Mrs. Oakly is an irony that satirizes the gender difference in the society. Their roles as husband and wife have reversed from the reality, in which women were subjugated to the dominance and emotions of men. In fact, it appears as an accidental response to //The Country Wife// (1675), in which Mr. Pinchwife is mimicked by Mrs. Oakly in her extreme rage from her jealousy and love, while Mr. Oakley is a male version of Margery, who is confined to the house and prohibited to engage in any contact with the opposite gender. Though, the difference in their relationships is that there is love in the Oakly’s marriage, as Mr. Oakly is reluctant but willingly accepts the confinement by Mrs. Oakly, while Margery lacks love for Mr. Pinchwife and falls in love with another man in response to her husband’s jealousy. Furthermore, the character, Harriot represents the role of women during the 18th century. Women lacked equal rights and were treated poorly by men, who traditionally asserted control over women’s liberty and behaviors. In fact, Harriot is a great representation of Queen Charlotte. Harriot loves Charles but is forced to marry Sir Harry Beagle and later Lord Trinket upon her father’s command, in order to augment the prestige and dignity of her family. Similarly, Queen Charlotte is matched by her predecessors to marry King George III, for whom she lacked love and whom she has met on their wedding day. Lastly, Lady Freelove, who forces Harriot to marry Lord Trinket in the play, seems to portray Queen Charlotte’s mother-in-law, who controlled her behaviors and decisions as a form of palace despotism. Queen Charlotte was unable to resist just as Harriot has no choice to speak against Lady Freelove’s decision but to run away to avoid the unwanted marriage. Overall, //The Jealous Wife// is first premiered in 1961 as a satire that ridicules the gender differences and social vices of the English society during the 18th century.
 * Conclusion**

Colman, George. "The Jealous Wife." //English Drama//. ProQuest, LLC., 1996. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. .
 * Bibliography **

Harrop, Joseph, ed. //Harrop’s Manchester Mercury.// 1761. Issues 464-519. Eighteenth Century Journals. Web. 13 August 2012.

"Remains, Historical and Literary, Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester." //Google EBooks//. The Chetham Society, 1867. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. .

Stone, George Winchester, Jr. //The London Stage 1660 - 1800//. 1st ed. Vol. 2. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1960. Print. 807-810 and 881-885.