Spotprent met Lord Ashley als Ophelia Possibly 1845

John Doyle made this print of Lord Ashley as Ophelia sometime in the mid-19th century. Doyle was a well-known political cartoonist in London, and this image connects a famous scene from Shakespeare’s Hamlet to contemporary debates about social reform. Doyle references a cultural fascination with theatricality in British society, where public figures were often seen as playing roles on a political stage. The image of Lord Ashley dressed as Ophelia, the ‘doomed one,’ creates meaning through its reference to the tragic heroine and Shakespearean drama as a way of critiquing Ashley's political actions. The reference to Ophelia, traditionally played by women, suggests Ashley as weakened and vulnerable, making a comment on his political power. Understanding this piece better means looking into the history of political theater, and consulting archives of political cartoons, newspapers and parliamentary records from the time period. It suggests that the meaning of art is always intertwined with the social and institutional context in which it's produced and received.