Hudibras Encounters the Skimmington, from 'Hudibras', by Samuel Butler 1726

This print, by William Hogarth, visualizes a scene from Samuel Butler's satirical poem "Hudibras." Published in installments between 1662 and 1678, the poem was a critique of the English Puritans during the Interregnum. In this scene Hogarth illustrates the "skimmington," a folk custom and shaming ritual, often directed against those believed to have transgressed social norms, especially in marital disputes or gender roles. The skimmington, which is the procession you see here, served as a form of public humiliation and social regulation. Hogarth heightens the poem’s mockery of the characters. We can see this in his portrayal of the figures as ridiculous. Hogarth, through his art, invites us to consider the complexities of social norms, power dynamics, and the performance of identity within specific communities. He asks us to consider how traditions can be both a source of community identity and a tool for social control, reflecting on the tensions between individual expression and collective expectations.