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The Bar to Progress! An allegory, founded upon Temple Bar. Satirical cartoon, 1853
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The Bar to Progress! An allegory, founded upon Temple Bar. Satirical cartoon, 1853
The Bar to Progress! An allegory, founded upon Temple Bar. Satirical cartoon, 1853. Temple Bar, the entrance to the City of London in the west, closes its gates against ordinary people and progress. Gog and Magog stand on either side guarding the gate while in the City, bribery and corruption, simony, taxes upon knowledge and corporation jobbery flourish. Date: 1853
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Media ID 23458084
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1850s 1853 Allegory Bribery Closes Corporation Corrupt Corruption Founded Gates Guarding Jun21 Knowledge Magog Ordinary Privilege Progress Satire Satirical System Taxes Wealth Simony
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The Bar to Progress! An Allegory, Founded Upon Temple Bar
EDITORS COMMENTS
is a satirical cartoon from 1853, which offers a biting commentary on the social and political issues of the time. The image depicts Temple Bar, the historic entrance to the City of London in the west, as a formidable barrier to progress. The gates of the bar are firmly closed, preventing the ordinary people from advancing, while Gog and Magog, the mythical guardians of the City, stand watch on either side. The cartoon exposes the corrupt and privileged system that flourished within the City. Bribery and corruption are rampant, as evidenced by the figures exchanging money in the background. Simony, the buying or selling of church offices, is also depicted, with a clergyman selling a mitre, a symbol of ecclesiastical rank, to a layman. The cartoonist satirically illustrates the taxes on knowledge, as a man is shown paying a toll to pass under a sign that reads "Knowledge Tax Collected Here." Lastly, corporation jobbery, the misuse of power for personal gain, is represented by a man in a top hat, holding a scale that favors the wealthy and powerful. The satirical cartoon reflects the political climate of the 1850s in Britain, a time when the divide between the classes was growing wider, and the corrupt practices of the privileged few were becoming increasingly apparent. The image serves as a powerful reminder of the systemic issues that hindered progress and the need for reform. The Bar to Progress! An Allegory, Founded Upon Temple Bar, is a poignant commentary on the corrupt and privileged system that dominated Victorian Britain and the need for change.
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