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Cartoon, Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt
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Cartoon, Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt
Cartoon, Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt, Destruction of Revolutionary Crocodiles; or, The British Hero cleansing the Mouth of the Nile, by James Gillray. Depicting Horatio Nelson, following his victory in the Battle of the Nile. The crocodiles represent French warships. Date: 1798
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Media ID 14230237
© The Sharp Illustration Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library
1790s 1798 Cleansing Comment Criticism Crocodiles Destruction Gillray Harsh Hero Horatio Mouth Nelson Nile Plagues Revolutionary Satire Satirical Victory Warships Extirpation
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Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt - Or, The Destruction of Revolutionary Crocodiles; and, The British Hero Cleansing the Mouth of the Nile
EDITORS COMMENTS
is a satirical cartoon created by the renowned British artist James Gillray in 1798. This powerful and provocative image offers a scathing commentary on the ongoing Napoleonic Wars and the Battle of the Nile, which took place in August of that year. At the center of the cartoon stands Horatio Nelson, the British naval hero, clad in his distinctive uniform and wielding a large oak cudgel. Nelson is depicted as a heroic figure, cleansing the mouth of the Nile of the "plagues of Egypt," which represent the French warships that had invaded Egypt earlier in the year. The crocodiles in the image symbolize these French vessels, their menacing jaws open wide as they are brutally crushed by Nelson's mighty club. The title of the cartoon, "Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt," is a reference to the biblical account of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and the ten plagues that God inflicted upon the Egyptians to persuade Pharaoh to release them. By drawing this parallel, Gillray was making a harsh criticism of the French Revolution and the perceived threat it posed to the British way of life. The image also contains several other subtle references to contemporary events and political figures. For instance, the figure of a man in the foreground, wearing a turban and holding a French tricolor flag, represents the French General Bonaparte, who had led the invasion of Egypt. The alligator in the bottom left corner symbolizes the French Admiral Brueys, who was killed during the Battle of the Nile. Overall, this cartoon is a prime example of the biting satire and political commentary that characterized the works of James Gillray during the 1790s. It reflects the intense political tensions of the time and the deep-seated fears and anxieties that the British public felt in the face of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.
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