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Cartoon, Why Coals Are Dear
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Cartoon, Why Coals Are Dear
Cartoon, Why Coals Are Dear -- a satirical comment on the high cost of coals to ordinary working people, caused by Restricted Navigation and City Tax. Date: 1853
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Media ID 23358488
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1850s 1853 Coal Coalman Coalmen Comment Cost Depiction Fuel Living Satire Satirical Scuttle Symbolic Symbolism Taxes
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Why Coals Are Dear
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is a satirical political cartoon from the Victorian era of Britain, published in 1853. This intriguing image, created during the 1850s, offers a symbolic commentary on the high cost of coal for ordinary working people, caused by Restricted Navigation and City Taxes. The cartoon depicts a portly man, seated in a scuttle, or coal bucket, with a look of dismay on his face as he struggles to lift two large sacks of coal onto his back. Behind him, a line of similarly burdened coalmen, each with a coal sack in hand, wait their turn to board the ship that will transport the coal to the city. The ship, laden with coal, is docked at the pier, but the captain and the city officials, depicted as portly, well-dressed men, stand in the way, preventing the coal from being unloaded. The cartoon's title, "Why Coals Are Dear," is written above the scene, emphasizing the high cost of coal for the working class. The image is a powerful commentary on the political and economic forces that drove up the cost of coal, a vital fuel source during the Industrial Revolution. The Restricted Navigation laws, which gave monopolistic control of the Thames River to a select group of shipping companies, and the City Taxes, which were levied on coal as it entered the city, were two major factors that contributed to the high cost of coal. The cartoon's symbolism is rich and layered, with the coalman's struggle to carry the heavy sacks of coal representing the burden of the working class, while the obstruction of the coal's transport by the wealthy and powerful represents the political and economic forces that kept the cost of coal high. Overall, "Why Coals Are Dear" is a poignant reminder of the social and economic challenges faced by the working class during the Victorian era and the power of satire to bring attention to important issues.
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