Life, 1884-06-05 · page 3 of 16
Life — June 5, 1884 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "The V-A-S-E" This poem satirizes upper-class American society's pretentious relationship with art and culture. The narrative depicts four wealthy women from prominent East Coast families (Gotham, Philadelphia, Boston, and a western "nameless place") gathering to admire a classical vase—a symbol of refined taste. The satire centers on Gotham's snobbish attempt to dismiss the vase as merely "lovely," only to be corrected by the Boston woman's superior judgment. The joke targets how wealthy Americans, lacking genuine cultural knowledge, compete over art appreciation as social status. The final couplet reveals the Boston woman's empty praise ("It is, indeed, a lovely vase") masks the same shallow understanding she mocked in others—exposing the hypocrisy underlying American high society's cultural pretensions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ROM the madding crowd they stand apart, The maidens four and the Work of Art ; And none might tell from sight alone In which had Culture ripest grown— The Gotham Million fair to see, The Philadelphia Pedigree, The Boston Mind of azure hue, Or the soulful Soul from Kalamazoo— For all loved Art in a seemly way, With:an earnest soul and a capital A. * * * * * * Long they worshipped ; but no one broke The sacred stillness, until up spoke The Western one from the nameless place, Who, blushing said: ‘‘ What a lovely vase.” Over three faces a sad smile flew, And they edged away from Kalamazoo. But Gotham’s haughty soul was stirred To crush the stranger with one small word, Deftly hiding reproof in praise, She cries: "Tis, indeed, a lovely vaze !” But brief her unworthy triumph when The lofty one from the house of Penn, With the consciousness of two grandpapas, Exclaims : ‘‘It is quite a lovely vahs !”” And glances round with an anxious thrill, Awaiting the word of Beacon Hill. But the Boston maid smiles courteouslee And gently murmurs : “ Oh, pardon me ! I did not catch your remark, because I was so entranced with that charming vaws !"”” Dies erit pregelida Sinistra quum Bostonia. JAMEs JEFFREY ROCHE. comicbooks.com