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Which subjects did Henry Fielding satirize in his early plays?
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Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding, frontispiece to Fielding's Works (1st ed., 1762), engraving by James Basire after a drawing by William Hogarth
In his early career as a playwright, Henry Fielding utilized his wit to satirize a variety of social, political, and literary subjects. His dramatic works frequently targeted the following areas:
- Political Corruption: Fielding was a vocal critic of the government, most notably ridiculing the prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole, in plays such as Historical Register, For the Year 1736. This persistent satire on the government eventually led authorities to push for the Licensing Act of 1737, which effectively ended his theatrical career.12
- Legal Injustices: In his play Rape upon Rape (1730), Fielding satirized the legal system, specifically targeting the conduct of lawyers and the injustices of the law.1
- Literary Absurdities: Fielding mocked the conventions of his contemporaries. For instance, The Authorās Farce (1730) displayed the absurdities of writers and publishers, while Tom Thumb (1730) burlesqued the dramatic style of heroic tragedy.12