Hudibras in Tribulation (Plate 6: Illustrations to Samuel Butler's Hudibras)

Hudibras in Tribulation (Plate 6: Illustrations to Samuel Butler's Hudibras) is a foundational print created by William Hogarth between 1725 and 1730. This work belongs to a significant series illustrating Samuel Butler’s lengthy satirical poem, Hudibras (1663-1678), which mercilessly critiques religious and political hypocrisy following the English Civil War. Hogarth, already known for his acute social observation and sequential narrative talent, used Butler's text as a vehicle to satirize the foibles of 18th-century London.

The piece is executed using the demanding combined techniques of etching and engraving, allowing the artist to achieve the depth of line and expressive detail necessary for effective print reproduction and widespread distribution. This technique was fundamental to the expansion of Hogarth's visual commentaries during the Georgian period.

Plate 6 captures a frenetic, tightly-packed interior setting where the titular Puritan knight, Hudibras, faces an array of agitated figures. The scene is characterized by the presence of various social classes and ages. Several agitated men dominate the foreground, engaged in a heated dispute or enforcing the "tribulation" referenced in the title. Throughout the composition, various women observe the chaos, often adding to the general sense of disorder and satirical domesticity. The inclusion of children observing the adults' absurd predicaments is a common trope in Hogarth’s work, subtly emphasizing the absurdity or tragedy of the scene.

This powerful example of early English graphic satire is held in the renowned prints collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a widely circulated 18th-century series, this image, like many of Hogarth's prints, often falls within the public domain, ensuring broad access to the artist's critical and enduring visual commentary.