Marriage � la Mode, Plate 3, (The Scene with the Quack)

Marriage � la Mode, a series of six etchings by English engraver and painter William Hogarth, was printed as social commentary for the eighteenth century audience comparable to our modern dramas. In this series Hogarth focuses on the misery of an arranged marriage between the daughter of an upper-class merchant family and the son of a destitute noble family attempting to maintain their wealthy status. At a time when arranged marriages were the subject of numerous deliberations, this series exemplifies Hogarth?s belief in its dangers as he depicts the unflattering and tragic events of the bride and groom and their respective families.In the third scene of the series the plot of the unhappily married couple continues to unfold as the husband?s indiscretion is confirmed. In a doctor?s office, the recently wedded Viscount Squanderfield and his mistress discover they share the same ailment, indicating that their carefree and excessive lifestyle has come back to haunt them both.