English - Comparison of 'Gin Lane' and 'Beer Street'

A recent assignment for English:

A Comparison of Hogarth's Prints 'Gin Lane' and 'Beer Street'

Issued by William Hogarth in 1751, the prints 'Gin Lane' and 'Beer Street' served as his contribution to the debate on the evils of gin. His position was made clear by the shocking differences between the two pieces.

With the two placed side by side, it's the print of Gin Lane which contains the more eye catching imagery. its depictions of a society ravaged and ruined by gin are in stark contrast to the partnering print, with a warm collection of amiable looking souls enjoying homegrown, wholesome, British beer. The overall impression of the prints is their depiction of opposites. The inhabitants of Gin Lane are shown struggling in a world of despair and decay, while their neighbours live in peaceful prosperity.

The characters are given a detailed backdrop to play against. In both, businesses and buildings provide insight into the economic situations the societies are in. On Gin Lane, businesses cater to the demand for gin or the consequences of its presence. We see the gin cellar with the inscription upon its lintel “Drunk for a penny, Dead drunk for twopence, Clean straw for nothing”, calling patrons into its subterranean depths. Above is the aptly named Kilman distillery, the source of the surrounding misery. We are shown the undertakers hard at work, their services in great demand with new customers in abundance. Among them is the unfortunate barber who has hung himself from the rafters in the decrepit room above his shop. The people of Gin Lane seem to have little use for a shave and haircut.

The most prosperous fellow we see on Gin Lane is Mr Gripe the pawnbroker. Unlike the barber, his trade is very much in demand by the denizens of Gin Lane and he is busy dealing with two customers at once. The desperate souls have been driven to selling their essential possessions to fund their addiction.
In contrast, on Beer Street it is the local pawnbroker Mr Pinch who finds himself fallen on hard times. His is the only property in disrepair and no customers await his attention. Outside his door is a scene of prosperity and wealth. There is a feeling of happiness on Beer Street with smiling faces and flirtations in evidence. They certainly seem well fed with plump faces and bulging stomachs.

Rounded bellies are not in evidence on Gin Lane. Instead we have the emaciated figure in soldiers garb, dead or dying at the foot of the stairs. Above him a dog and boy fight over a bone. There are none of the baskets of fresh produce which are shown on Beer Street.

The blacksmith is shown brandishing a leg of ham or mutton, although in earlier issues it was instead a depiction of a Frenchman being ejected by the more muscular man. Professor Ronald Paulson suggests that this amendment was made to avoid confusion with the ragged sign-painter.

He is a lone figure, towering above the corpulent fellows below as he paints a sign advertising gin. Why his appearance is so different is unclear. Perhaps there is so little demand for the spirit here that he makes little money advertising it for sale? He may also be a harbinger, quite literally a sign of things to come where the perils of gin could be visited upon the unsuspecting population he surveys.

The images of the children of Gin Lane are arguably the most horrific. The sight of the baby as it begins its fatal tumble into the stairwell below is the focus of the piece. The mother seems unaware of its fate as she sits half clothed and sore ridden reaching for a pinch of snuff. More sickening yet is the madman brandishing the body of a babe impaled upon a stick, while yards away sits a crying newly orphaned infant, its mothers body being placed into a coffin.

If these are the strongest of the images used there are also subtler workings in evidence. Take the contrast of the sedan chair, conveying its passenger in relative comfort through the busy Beer Street. On Gin Lane the transport is a little less refined, as we see a woman being wheeled in a barrow, another female feeding her gin.

Although it may not be apparent at first glance, there are similarities within the scenes. The majority of characters in both are depicted with a drink close to hand. There are also very few persons captured in the act of working, the exceptions providing a stark contrast. The sign-painter completing his sign for gin on Beer Street and the industrious few on Gin Lane who profit from the suffering around them. While both locations contain a pawnbroker their situations differ greatly and if the inhabitants of either locale choose to raise their eyes from their busy surroundings, they will see the spires of churches looking down upon them. A reminder perhaps that God watches over rich and poor alike.