Judge — July 7, 1883 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cover, July 7, 1883 This political cartoon satirizes violence in American politics during the Gilded Age. A bearded man (likely representing a political figure or the concept of political violence) prepares to shoot at several effigies hanging from a tree, labeled with names of political figures and dates (1876, 1880). The caption "Who Will Be Hit First?" and chorus "Please, Mr. Dorsey, don't shoot!" suggest anxiety about political assassination or violence. The hanging effigies represent past targets of political violence or assassination attempts. Powder barrels and ammunition at the base emphasize the explosive threat. This appears to critique ongoing political instability and the threat of violence as a political tool during this turbulent period of American history.