Gaskell's reference to Solomon Eagle

 

 

Gaskell’s reference to Soloman Eagle.

Within Gaskell’s narration of the Davenport’s struggle with typhus fever, she notes that Davenport. ‘Every now and then he started up in his naked madness, looking like the prophet of wore in the fearful plague-picture.’ Gaskell here, is referring to the painting Solomon Eagle Exhorting the People by Paul Falconer.

The painting is based on the man Solomon, who had started as an English composer in the 17^th century and later turned to Quakerism and removed himself from church music. Eagle was mentioned briefly in Defoe’s account of the plague A Journal of the Plague Year, again in Samuel Pepys diary. Both accounts refer to Solomon as raving, naked and insane.

As a Quaker in the 17^th century Solomon was prosecuted multiple times for civil disobedience, the Conventicle Act of 1664 declared that worshipping with other Quakers was a dangerous and seditious activity. [1] The mention of such a character in Gaskell’s work refers to not only her level of education but her own religious views as she was part of the Unitarian church, another alternative religion to Christianity. The image by Falconer is powerful and provides the reader with a clearer idea of how vicious the fever was.

The date on the painting could also entail that Gaskell had recently seen the painting and had sparked her to make the connection as writers had previously.

Solomon Eagle, Paul Falconer Poole 
1807 - 1879
Museums Sheffield 

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[1] The Diary of Samuel Pepys, ‘Solomon Eccles, Pepysdiary, [accessed 20 July 2022]