Life, 1883-08-02 · page 11 of 16
Life — August 2, 1883 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Managing Mama" - Life Magazine Satire This is a humorous "catechism" (question-and-answer lesson) mocking the Victorian obsession with marrying off daughters. The cartoon depicts a mother shepherding seven nearly-identical nineteen-year-old daughters, each supposedly possessing unique accomplishments that make them marriageable. The satire works through exaggeration: Mathilde is "literary" (reads famous authors, knows philosophy professors, published four poems), yet all daughters are exactly nineteen. Each girl has a comically thin "talent"—Angele's beauty proven only by church tableaux selection; Marie is merely a flirtatious troublemaker; Therese's virtue consists of making Bible bookmarks; Madeleine cooks and cleans; Belle's "wit" is being rude; Celeste has an undeveloped singing voice requiring 200 lessons. The joke targets both the mother's desperate matchmaking efforts and the hollow, performative "accomplishments" young women were expected to cultivate for marriage prospects. The uniformity of their ages and mediocrity of their talents satirizes how interchangeable these daughters actually are despite their marketed distinctions.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*- LIFE: 57 POPULAR SCIENCE CATECHISM. Lesson IX.—The Managing Mama. HAT is this? This is a managing mama, darling. Why a “ managing mama?" Because she is managing or trying to manage. To do what? To marry off her daughters. My! that is a huge undertaking? Mountainous, my precious. But those seven gawks lagging be- \ Aind her? \ Sh! Those, dear, are her charm- ing and accomplished daughters. But that sallow old girl with the giglamps and stiff neck? That, my precious, is Mathilde, the literary light of the family. How “‘ literary?" Well, Mathilde has read Swinburne and Herbert Spencer, knows two professors of the Concord School of Philosophy, has published four poems in the Phila- delphia Ledger, and can write verse all night long. Besides, Mathilde knows four constellations, Mathilde does, acts in amateur theatricals, and is writing a play, Gracious! and how old is she? Just nineteen, sweet. And who ts the wall-eyed young lady with freckles and fever blisters, walking with Mathilde? That, dear, is Angele, the beauty of the family. How the‘ beauty?” Well, whenever they get up tableaux at the Church, Angele is selected, and that proves it. How old is Angele? Just nineteen, love. And that one immediately behind Mathilde ?—the young lady with crooked teeth and a nose like an india- rubber shoe run down at the heel? That, darling, is Therese. And what does she do? She is the good girl of the family—goes to church twice a day, says grace at meals, and works biblemarks for every man she meets. How old? Just nineteen. Next?—the pudding-faced girl with twisted hair? That is Marie. Well? Marie is the flirt of the family. Marie uses slang, and purses up her mouth, smokes cigarettes and makes faces, and al- ways says what an awful bad, naughty girl she has been, and is generally as playful as a kitten. Old? Just nineteen, dear. Next ?—the meek little dunce with a figure like a shad? Madeleine. Well, what is the matter with her? She is the housekeeper of the family. Madeleine can cook right through four cook books; she makes her own dresses. I could have guessed as much myself. Sh!—and then Madeleine looks after everything, and sees that everything is right, and oh! well there ’s no end to the comfort brought about by Madeleine. She ts just nineteen too, I suppose? Nineteen, last week, darling. Next ?I—that bilious scarecrow in the hat? Sh! that, my precious, is Belle. Well, what ts the chronic trouble with Belle. Why, Belle has travelled, and she is the wit of the family. When Lord Muffyn was telling a long story to Angele last evening, Belle told him to “saw it off” and “cheese it.” That was very funny. Yes, dear. You say she has “travelled?” Yes, dear. Where? Well she has been in Colorado and Chicago and Milwaukee. Her age? Just nineteen, sweet. Well, now tell me about that poor little consumptive with gold teeth. That, dear, is Celeste. Nineteen? : Just. Any miraculous talent? Yes, darling. What? A “voice.” Cultivated ? Well, Signor Tutti Frutti di Vermicelli says that he thinks about 200 lessons will “ develope ” it. comicbooks.com