Sinners, Victims, or Survivors? Prostitution in the Moral Landscape of Eighteenth-century England

This paper explores the moral and social landscape of prostitution in eighteenth-century England, analyzing how prostitutes were perceived and represented in various cultural, economic, and legal contexts. In particular, it focuses on the interplay between moral judgment and social necessity that characterized the public discourse surrounding prostitution during this period. Through an examination of primary sources including Bernard de Mandeville’s satirical work, A Modest Defence of Publick Stews (1724), and William Hogarth’s visual narrative series, A Harlot’s Progress (1732), alongside contemporaneous writings on notable figures like Sally Salisbury, this research investigates the nuanced perceptions of prostitutes as sinners, victims, and survivors. It argues that prostitution in eighteenth-century England was not merely a moral or legal issue but was deeply intertwined with the socioeconomic conditions of the time by highlighting how urbanization, economic necessity, and evolving social attitudes contributed to the visibility and toleration of prostitution. My research concludes that the figure of the prostitute in eighteenth-century England served as a focal point for debates about morality, economy, and the law, revealing a society grappling with changing attitudes in its moral and social order.