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The amazing web site of Shakespeare's Sonnets. The Rake's Progress. I. The Inheritance, by Hogarth.

HAKESPEARE'S     ONNETS

This is part of the web site of Shakespeare's sonnets

 

PICTURE GALLERY.

William Hogarth 1697 - 1764.

 
 The Rake's Progress.  Plate I.  The Inheritance.  1735.

Hogarth first achieved fame as an artist through his series of moralistic engravings, commencing with  A Harlot's Progress in 1731.  This was followed by A Rake's Progress in 1735, Marriage à-la-mode in 1743-5 and Industry and Idleness in 1747 .  Originally the sets of pictures were  oil paintings which Hogarth subsequently published as engravings.  They met with huge success and many copies were printed.  The original paintings of A Rake's Progress are extant and are displayed in Sir John Soane's Museum, London.

The story begins with Tom Rakewell, the son of a rich merchant, inheriting the estate on his father's death.  The scene is set in the family home where the young man is being measured for a new set of clothes.  In the doorway stand a young woman, whom he has seduced and made pregnant, and her mother, who brings a heap of Tom's love letters as proof.  Tom offers them money as a pay off, as he is intent on richer pickings.  Behind him sits a lawyer at the table dealing with the inventory of worldly goods and helping himself to a handful of gold coins. In front of him are documents giving details of many profitable mortgages, indentures and leaseholds.  Various chests have been ransacked and cupboards opened.  In an upper cupboard the roasting spit and jack have been locked away, as the old miser had no desire to waste his money on entertainments.  Below are various discarded objects from his life, including two old shoes, which give the impression that he is in fact lying there in the coffin.  The scrawny cat by the chest of gold and silver plate seems to be symbolic of his life.  The cover of the old bible has been used to cut a replacement sole for one of his shoes.  Above the fireplace there hangs a portrait of the old man counting his money, and the cap he is wearing in the portrait still lies on the mantelpiece.  A servant has dislodged part of the cornice and discovers a hoard of gold coins.  


Rake's Progress. I. The Inheritance.

  William Hogarth

British Artist and Engraver

The Rake's Progress.  I.  The Inheritance.   

Engraving, published   1735
 
 



Rake's Progress. I. The Inheritance.



Source:  Hogarth's Works published by J. Dicks, 313 The Strand, London.  Circa 1880.  


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The Rake's Progress. Plate  I. The Inheritance.
The Rake's Progress. Plate  II. The Levee.
The Rake's Progress. Plate  III. The Orgy.
The Rake's Progress. Plate  IV. The Arrest for Debt.

The Rake's Progress. Plate  I. The Inheritance.   The Rake's Progress. Plate  II. The Levée.    The Rake's Progress. Plate  III. The Orgy at the Rose Tavern.      The Rake's Progress. Plate  IV. The Arrest for Debt.                                  

The Rake's Progress. Plate  V. The Marriage.
The Rake's Progress. Plate  VI. Ruin at the Gaming Table.
The Rake's Progress. Plate  VII. The Debtor's Prison.
The Rake's Progress. Plate  VIII. The Rake in a Madhouse.

The Rake's Progress. Plate  V. The Marriage.   The Rake's Progress. Plate  VI. Ruin at the Gaming Table.  The Rake's Progress. Plate  VII. The Debtor's Prison. The Rake's Progress. Plate  VIII. The Rake in a Madhouse.                                  

Shakespeare's Sonnets:

Start here with the first sonnet

 

First line index
 Sonnets 1 - 50   Some links to other sites
 

 Text facsimiles
   Sonnets 51 - 100  

 General notes for background details, general policies etc.

 Other related texts of the period
   Sonnets 101 - 154 For a global search use all the sonnets as
plain text 1-154

or use the
first line index.
If you have enjoyed this web site, please visit its companion -
Pushkin's Poems
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Views of London
as it was in 1616.
London Bridge
As it was in Shakespeare's day, circa 1600.
To search for a line or phrase in the sonnets go to the
sonnets as plain text

and use the browser text search engine.

 

Views of London
as it was in 1616.
 London Bridge
As it was in Shakespeare's day, circa 1600.
To search for a line or phrase in the sonnets go to the
Sonnets as plain text

and use the browser text search engine.
     

 

 

 

Sonnets 1 - 50    Back to home page
Sonnets 51 - 100   If you have enjoyed this web site, please visit its companion -
Pushkin's Poems
Sonnets 101 - 154    If you wish to comment on this site please refer to details on the home page.
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Rake's Progress. I. The Inheritance.


 The Rake's Progress.  I.  The Inheritance. 

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 Copyright ©of this site belongs to Oxquarry Books Ltd