Judge — November 25, 1893 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon titled "The Awakening from a Dream," referencing Shakespeare's *A Midsummer Night's Dream*. Titania (personified as Columbia, representing America) awakens from enchantment, declaring she was "enamored of an ass." The central female figure wears a crown of flowers and lies among debris labeled "Free Trade" and "Palmistry." Behind her stand demonic or grotesque figures representing political leaders or policies she was infatuated with during some period of misguided governance. The satire suggests America was foolishly charmed by certain political figures or free-trade policies—depicted as laughably absurd ("an ass")—but is now awakening to reality. The exact historical moment is unclear without additional context, but the cartoon mocks what the artist considered America's previous poor political judgments.