The London Merchant

The London Merchant (Or The Story Of George Barnwell) is playwright George Lillo's most famous work. First performed in 1731, "The London Merchant" became one of the most popular plays of the century.

Plot

The story of George Barnwell is truly a tragic tale of a London apprentice who falls in love with the wicked Sarah Millwood. It was performed from 1732 until 1776 "ritually . . . for the benefit of apprentices during the Christmas and Easter holidays" (Rosenburg 94) as a reminder to remain honest, pure, and loyal to their masters. The play begins with Sarah Millwood, a London prostitute, scheming to find some innocent young man "who, having never injured women, [would] apprehend no injury from them" (I.iii) to seduce and exploit for money. She observes George Barnwell in town, and she invites him to her house for supper. At supper she seduces him with flattery that no eighteen year-old boy could resist from a beautiful older woman, and their evening becomes sexual.

George remains with Millwood the entire night. Upon returning home the next morning, George feels he has betrayed his employer by disobeying his curfew. The guilt he feels from disobeying the "rules of the house," as well as the guilt he feels from his fornication with Millwood, leaves George tormented. Shortly after their initial meeting, Millwood visits George at his place of work. When she discovers he no longer wants anything to do with her, she begins to sense her money-making scheme has come to an end. She quickly thinks of a lie to tell George to keep her plan going. She tells George that the man who provides her with housing somehow found out about their tryst and is now evicting her because of it. This evokes new feelings of guilt from George, and he is prompted to steal a large sum of money from his employer's funds to give to her to amend the situation. After giving her the money, he decides his boss, Thorowgood, will no longer want him around, so he runs away. Having no place to go, he turns to Millwood for help. At first she refuses him since his employer's money is no longer at his disposal, but she quickly remembers that he has previously mentioned a rich uncle. She again convinces George that she truly does love him, and concocts a scheme for him to rob his uncle. George objects saying that his uncle will recognize him as his nephew; Millwood answers that by convincing him that the only way, then, will be to also murder his uncle. In a fit of passion, George runs off to commit the robbery and murder. He finds his Uncle Barnwell alone, and as he approaches, George veils his face and attacks his uncle with a knife. As he lay dying, Uncle Barnwell prays both for his nephew and his murderer, not knowing they are one in the same. Overcome with sorrow, George reveals himself to his uncle, and before he dies, Uncle Barnwell forgives his murderous nephew.

George returns to Millwood's home upset, trembling, and with bloody hands. Upon realizing that he did not take any money or property, Millwood sends for the police and has George arrested for murder. Two of Millwood's servants, who were aware of the plan from the beginning, have her arrested as well. Both George and Millwood are sentenced to death. After everything that has happened, however, George "is comforted by Thorowgood, his employer" (Bernbaum 152) in his prison cell. Thorowgood forgives him, consoles him, and provides for his spiritual needs by arranging a visit from a clergyman. In the end, George is truly repentant for his sins and is at peace with himself, his friends, and God.

External links

* [http://www.umd.umich.edu/casl/hum/eng/classes/434/geweb/GEORGEBA.htm An Analysis]