The Harlot's Progress, the Rake's Progress
Description:... In "A Harlot's Progress" (1732) Hogarth's six prints recount a few years in the young life of "M. Hackabout" from her innocent arrival in London (from Yorkshire) through debauchery, prostitution, and theft to death from venereal disease at the age of 23. Hogarth's engraved sequence shows about 12 characters, including Moll's child and supernumerary harlots at her funeral. The stage piece by Colley Cibber's son entitled The Harlot's Progress consists solely of stage directions and verses set to six "Airs." It has 27 characters, including a "little Harlequin Dog." The harlot's new name, "Kitty," probably refers to the actress (Mrs. Raftor, later Kitty Clive) who initially played this role. The music for the songs seems to be lost, though many tunes can be identified. [7] Furthermore, Roger Fiske reports that later in 1733 this work was offered at Bartholomew Fair with a band that included "oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets, drums and strings." Though traditionally The Harlot's Progress has been treated as pantomime, Fiske considers it a "mixture of masque, ballad opera and pantomime.
Show description