Vers op het beleg van Bergen op Zoom, 1747 1747

This is Jan Willem Kerkhoven's poem about the siege of Bergen op Zoom, printed in 1747. This small print captures the Dutch Republic in a moment of crisis. Bergen op Zoom was a strategic city, and its fall to French forces was a shock. Kerkhoven's poem reflects the anxieties of the time. Notice the strong language - words like "murder," "cruel," and "ungodly." He appeals to religious sentiment and patriotism, invoking "Christian belief" and "dear Fatherland" and contrasting Dutch bravery with French treachery. References to the effeminate Sardanapalus, an ancient near-eastern ruler, constructs the French invaders as decadent and weak. To understand this work fully, we would need to delve into the political pamphlets and news reports of the period. Understanding the institutions that shaped public opinion, we can better grasp the emotional power of Kerkhoven's verse and the social role of art during wartime.