Life — March 8, 1883 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This four-panel anthropomorphic cartoon depicts mice experiencing jealousy. Panel I shows a mouse peering suspiciously at others through a window. Panel II presents two mice confronting each other aggressively ("The Challenge"). Panel III shows them fighting ("The Combat"). Panel IV concludes with one mouse standing victorious over defeated rivals ("Satisfaction"). The satire uses the "green-eyed monster" (a metaphor for jealousy, famously from Shakespeare) to mock human behavior through animal characters. The accompanying jokes—about selective memory, self-denial excuses, and the absurdity of ear-piercing babies—suggest commentary on social hypocrisy and interpersonal conflict driven by envy. The specific political target is unclear from the visible text alone, though "England's latest watchword" suggests contemporary British social critique, likely from Life's perspective as an American satirical publication.