Judge — September 25, 1926 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis This satirical page imagines how biblical and historical events would have unfolded differently if a popular "best-seller" (likely a contemporary book about women's rights or female empowerment) had existed in ancient times. Each panel humorously reverses traditional narratives: - **Eve blames Adam** for the Fall rather than accepting blame - **Solomon's wives rebel** instead of passively accepting polygamy - **Cleopatra rejects Antony** rather than pursuing him - **Paris passes up Helen** (the apple/Helen of Troy pun) - **Lucrezia Borgia poisons her husband** instead of being victimized The satire mocks anxieties about women's independence and changing gender roles. By showing famous women taking control of their fates, the cartoonist suggests that modern feminist ideas would fundamentally disrupt historical "order." The tone is comedic but carries an undertone of concern about women's liberation movements of the era.