A Lock'd Jaw for John Bull Possibly 1795

This print by S. W. Fores depicts a political scenario using potent symbols. John Bull, representing England, is having his mouth forcibly fitted with a lock. The lock itself becomes a powerful symbol of suppressed speech, a motif that echoes through history, from ancient muzzles to the chastity belts of the Middle Ages—all tools to control expression and desire. One might recall images of Hermes, the messenger god, whose winged sandals symbolize the unbridled flow of communication, now violently opposed. Here, this act resonates with deeper anxieties: the fear of the народ, the unruly populace, whose voice, once unleashed, might topple the established order. Emotionally, the image evokes the terror of silence, the psychological weight of words left unsaid, a collective memory of oppression that stirs deep within the viewer's subconscious. The cyclical nature of this struggle is evident. The symbol of forced silence has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.