The Golden Rump facts for kids

The Golden Rump is a mysterious play from 1737. No one knows for sure who wrote it. It was never performed on stage or printed. In fact, no copies of the play exist today. This makes some people wonder if it was ever fully written.

Many thought the play was by Henry Fielding. He was a famous writer who often made fun of King George II and his chief minister, Sir Robert Walpole. However, some historians now think Walpole himself might have secretly ordered the play to be written. He might have done this to help pass a new law. This law, called the Theatrical Licensing Act of 1737, would control what plays could be shown.

Why Was This Play Important?

In the early 1700s, it was common to see plays, books, and articles that criticized the King and his government. Plays were often the most disliked by the King's power. Some plays, like John Gay’s Polly and Henry Fielding's Grub-Street Opera, were stopped from being performed.

But writers kept using humor to make fun of King George II and Sir Robert Walpole. Both the King and Walpole were known for being a bit short and round. Writers would often joke about these things.

The "Golden Rump" Idea

The idea of "The Golden Rump" first appeared in a newspaper called Common Sense. This was in March 1737. It was a story called A Vision of the Golden Rump. It was probably written by Dr. William King. He was a strong supporter of the Jacobites, who wanted a different king.

In this story, a dreamer visits a beautiful meadow. There, he sees important people celebrating something called the "Festival of the Golden Rump."

• The "Pagod of the Golden Rump" was clearly King George II.
• The "Chief Magician" was Sir Robert Walpole.
• Queen Caroline was shown giving the "Pagod" a special drink.

A part of this story was printed in The Gentleman's Magazine. Soon after, a cartoon called 'The Festival of the Golden Rump’ was published. It had a Latin saying that meant, "Whoever envies me, let him be RUMPED." This was a joke about a group called the Rumpsteak Club. This club was linked to Frederick Louis, who was King George II's son and didn't get along with his father.

How the Play Appeared

The first time anyone mentioned a play called The Golden Rump was in a newspaper called The Craftsman. This was on May 28, 1737. Many believe Henry Fielding wrote this article. By this time, a new law about plays was already being discussed in Parliament. It had passed in the House of Commons and was now with the Lords.

The article said that the play was sent to Henry Giffard. He was the manager of a theater in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Giffard started rehearsing the play. But he also sent the play's script to Sir Robert Walpole. The play was considered very offensive. Later, it was said that Giffard received £100 for giving the play to Walpole.

When Walpole read The Golden Rump, he immediately stopped it from being performed. He then used the play as his main reason to convince the King and Parliament to change the old law about theaters.

Sir Robert Walpole's Role

Many people have wondered if Sir Robert Walpole actually asked for The Golden Rump to be written. They thought he did this just to help him get the new censorship law passed. Henry Fielding was one of the first to suggest this idea. Other theater people, like Theophilus Cibber and Thomas Davies, also agreed with this guess.

A modern expert, Peter Thomson, wrote:

There is, in fact, no convincing evidence that such a play was ever written. Using nothing more than the cartoon 'The Festival of the Golden Rump', a resourceful hack could readily have composed enough scurrilous dialogue to provide Walpole with material for his Commons speech.

It is strange that no copy of the play has ever been found. Especially if it was rehearsed, as Fielding's article said. Because there's no actual play text or other clear proof, the true story of The Golden Rump remains a mystery today.