The Punishment Inflicted on Lemuel Gulliver, Etching and Engraving by Dr. O’Gearth, 1726.

Hogarth originally designed this plate as a frontispiece for Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726), although Swift never commissioned it (Smith 106-108). The full original caption states, “The Punishment on Lemuel Gulliver by applying a Lilypucian Fire Engine to his posteriors for his Urinal Profanation of the Royal Palace at Milendo which was intended as a frontispiece for his first Volume but Omitted.” It was later republished under the title “The Political Clyster” (a clyster is an enema). Starting on the left, one is faced with the obscene and indecent image of Gulliver’s rear end. The drapes covering his backside only gesture at public decency. Gulliver’s imposing size and complacence during this ordeal indicates his willing submission. In comparison to everyone else in the scene, Gulliver’s bottom is smooth, a contrast to the old, wrinkled, and rather ugly figures. This contrast emphasizes the difference between Gulliver’s innocent naiveté and the corrupt evil of those in charge. On the right, one can see a clergyman sitting in a chamber pot and overlooking the scene, symbolizing the Church’s sanction of this cruel punishment. One’s gaze is drawn to the right of this image, where one sees a city in decay, abandoned by those in charge to fend for itself. Furthering this theme of division between those in charge and the people they care for, there is a rat eating an infant on top of the arch (upper right). Along the bottom of the scene is a man urinating in Gulliver’s hat, with the prime minister standing behind him, also overseeing the punishment.

Beneath the arch can be seen citizens praying at a makeshift altar for a god.  Based on the outfits and body language, they can be guessed to be women praying to a pagan deity.  According to Uglow in her book William Hogarth: A Life and a World, “the people [are] worshipping Priapus at a makeshift altar” (206).  Priapus is the Greek god of fertility, protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens and the male genitalia, usually depicted with a large erection.  The statue that is seen cannot be Priapus for two reasons.  The first is that the statue has horns, a goats beard and the lower half is a pedestal.  These details lean more to a satyr then a fully-fledged god. The second point of disagreement comes from the lack of anatomy from the hips down.  If it were indeed Priapus, the telltale mark of the large erection would be proudly on display.  In any event, this paganism results from a loss in strict religious order, further proving the large drift between the figures in charge and those they lead (Uglow 206-207).

Works cited

Smith, Frederik N., ed. The Genres of Gulliver's Travels. Newark : University of Delaware Press; London : Associated University Presses, 1990. Print.

Uglow, Jennifer. William Hogarth: A Life and a World. London: Faber and Faber. 1997. Print.