Hudibras Beating Sidrophel and Whachum (Seventeen Small Illustrations for Samuel Butler's Hudibras, no. 12) 1721 - 1726

This small engraving by William Hogarth illustrates a scene from Samuel Butler's satirical poem, "Hudibras." Made in England, the print is a window into the social and intellectual debates of the 18th century, especially the period’s complex relationship with the preceding century and the English Civil War. The poem and Hogarth’s illustrations mock the Puritans and their beliefs, portraying them as foolish and hypocritical. Here, Hudibras, a knight, is beating Sidrophel, an astrologer, and his assistant Whachum. The setting is a cluttered room filled with astrological and occult paraphernalia, all suggesting superstition and charlatanism. Hogarth uses visual cues to signal the backwardness he is associating with his subjects, and the print reflects a broader cultural shift away from religious zealotry towards Enlightenment rationalism. To fully understand the image, we can consult period literature, political pamphlets, and visual culture. Doing so situates the work within the historical context that shaped its meaning and significance.