The Harlot's Progress, Plate 4

Moll is now in Bridewell Prison. Although Moll Hackabout was a fictional character, Bridewell Prison was a real place reserved as a house of correction for prostitutes and petty criminals in 18th-century London. The magistrate John Gonson (seen previously in Plate 3) was known for handing down harsh and often physically demanding sentences against sex workers. In this scene, a guard brandishes a sword and forces Moll to beat hemp. The consequences for not complying are spelled out on the wooden stocks behind Moll’s head, “Better to Work, than [to] Stand thus.”

The marked change in Moll’s circumstances is emphasized by the incongruity of her fine clothes within the cheerless prison. Her plight clearly amuses some of the female inmates—one woman mockingly pulls at Moll’s lace and silk attire, while directing a knowing wink and wry grin at the viewer. Hogarth makes it clear that the protagonist’s journey, or “progress,” will only become bleaker.