1753

Morgan Mitchell

In 1753, a lot about "follies" of the time were discussed. "The World" journal opens with its first volume discussing libertinism, drinking, and "curing the human mind". This first entry is a satire in itself, where the author aims to satirize some of the most important issues of the time, while also providing personal anecdotes, as well as anecdotes from readers. The audience of the journal seems to be the general public, but I also saw the journal more speaking to upper class society. The journal seemed to address a lot of issues with society in general, but the main stories involved people of upper class society, such as the stories I elaborate on below. The first issue I read I found to be very interesting, and very relatable given the content we have read over the course of the semester. The author of the journal (Adam Fitz-Adam), compares himself to a "doctor" and says that he aims to cure the vices in the world, and will do so through his weekly journal. This was obviously a satire of the things that were custom during this time period, such as drinking, swearing, lewdness of men, and even the fashion of the time period. I found myself understanding exactly what he was satirizing, based on our readings of the plays from this semester. The second issue that I particularly liked was the third issue of the journal. In this issue, the author features a reader's story about how he had to borrow money from a friend. He had lost his fortune due to being irresponsible with his spending, and was forced to ask his friend for money. His friend did not appreciate this request, and left him rather embarrassed for asking. The reader even goes so far as to say that he was in the process of writing a play about what happened to him, entitled "The Friend" in an effort to raise his own money so as not to have to borrow from any friends again. I researched to see whether or not this play was actually published, but my search came up with no results. The third and fourth issues of this journal that I found very interesting recounted another story that was sent in by a reader. It was about a husband and wife (Mr and Mrs. Wilson) who were having marital problems. Mr. Wilson was growing increasingly frustrated with his wife because she hadn't had a child yet. He began "going away" to a cottage to get away from his wife, and since then his spirits had lifted. One day, his wife went into town and discovered exactly what he was up to. His cottage was not inhabited by only him, but him and his mistress. The wife went into a shop where the shopkeeper told her all about the "Mr. Roberts" and his wife and son. The wife was shocked, but instead decided to go visit his mistress. She didn't let the mistress know who she was, and when Mr. Wilson came home he could barely move from where he was standing. He was in shock. His wife didn't give anything away, and they talked in a parlour downstairs. Mr. Wilson told his wife he was sorry and that he would leave his mistress for her. The mistress was eavesdropping, and heard everything that Mr. Wilson had said. She implored with Mrs. Wilson to take her husband back, and vowed to never see him again. Mrs. Wilson agreed, but only if Mr. Wilson's son could live with them. Mr and Mrs. Wilson ended up being happier than ever, and had a daughter to join Mr. Wilson's son. I found this very interesting because the author said that this was a true story, and was submitted by one of his readers. It was very interesting and easy to follow, and had a very unexpected ending. The fifth issue I read that I found very interesting, recounted the tale of a "blind, deaf, and dumb" man who one day regained his vision, hearing, and became "wise". He realized though, that he didn't enjoy life the way he did before when he didn't have his senses. The journal ends with this quote, "He who would enjoy many friends and live happy in the world, should be deaf, dumb, and blind to the follies and vices of it". I particularly liked this tale because it was interesting, and offered a different perspective on things going on in the world. This story is relatable even today. The play I read that was in the theater in 1753 was entitled, "The Tragedy of Tragedies", by Henry Fielding. It was a good play and full of adventure. The title character, Tom Thumb, was born to his parents who were having trouble having children. They went to a wizard to ask for help, and they had a baby boy. The boy was Tom Thumb, but he was very short and small. When he was old enough he went to work in King Arthur's court, and King Arthur's wife falls in love with him. Tom Thumb defeats giants, and King Arthur offers him whatever he would like in return. He wants the hand of his daughter, (Princess Huncamunca), and King Arthur agrees to let him marry her. His wife is infuriated, and hires Grizzle to make sure the marriage doesn't happen, because she herself is in love with Tom Thumb. Grizzle sets out to kill Tom Thumb, but the queen doesn't want this. Later in the play, Tom Thumb is believed to be dead but it is actually the body of the monkey. Tom Thumb later does die by being swallowed by a cow, and his "spirit" ends up dying also by finally being killed by Grizzle. The other characters begin to die off by killing on another, and in the end only King Arthur is left, and he dies at his own hand. I thought this play was very interesting, and different from typical Fielding plays. While still containing elements of satire, it contained a much different storyline than what has been seen before. I think that the fact that this play is called a "tragedy" however, is satire in and of itself, because of the comical nature of what happens to the characters throughout the play. The journal that I read, (The World) contained many elements of satire and many different stories that readers had submitted. I think the content of the journal and the play that I read are very similar. Many of the issues that were presented in the play, (infidelity, love, virtue, etc.) appeared in different mediums in the journal. The plays during this time period had moved away from the "comedy of manners" and more towards "sentimental dramas". I find that the play I read is a combination of both. It definitely contains elements of a comedy of manners (satire, comedy, etc), as well as elements of a sentimental drama (true love, virtue, etc.). "The World" presented issues of the time period, such as libertinism, cuckolding, and greediness, and most of these show up in the play "The Tragedy of Tragedies". The play specifically shows the issue of cuckolding that was presented in many different stories in the journal, such as the one involving Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. The play also shows true virtue like is present in Tom Thumb, and was also presented in the journal through the story of the deaf, dumb, and blind man. Works Cited: // The London Stage, 1660-1800: A Calendar of Plays, Entertainments & Afterpieces, Together With Casts, Box-receipts and Contemporary // // Comment //// : Part 1, 1660-1700. // [1st ed.]. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1960. The World, Volume 1 - 1753 - Issue 1

© Bodleian Library, University of Oxford

Fielding, Henry, and James Theodore Hillhouse. //The tragedy of tragedies; or, The life and death of Tom Thumb the Great; //. New Haven: Yale university press; etc., etc., 1918. Print.