Life, 1884-08-14 · page 1 of 16
Life — August 14, 1884 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This is a political cartoon titled "Shakespeare on the Political Situation" from Life magazine, August 14, 1884. The cartoon uses a Shakespeare quote (King Henry IV, act 3, scene 1) as political commentary. The dialogue involves Davy (likely representing a political figure) discussing William Visor of Wincot and Clement Perkes—names from Shakespeare's play. The satire appears to critique political disputes of the 1884 election period, using the Shakespeare passage to comment on contemporary political figures and their conflicts. The three caricatured figures represent participants in these political disputes. By framing modern politics through Shakespeare, the cartoonist suggests that current political squabbles mirror timeless human follies—implying that 1884's political arguments are as petty and absurd as Shakespeare's minor characters' complaints.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME Iv. NEW YORK, AUGUST 14, 1884. Entered at New Yert Post Otice as Secood-Clam Ma‘l Matter, BEEN EA Hh | PSRICANY s anor g Sua 1 Greet des a sganrrewcuns: SHAKESPEARE ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION. Davy: | BESEECH YOU, SIR, TO COUNTENANCE WILLIAM VISOR, OF WINCOT, AGAINST CLEMENT PERKES, OF THE HILL. Justice Shallow: THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS, DAVY, AGAINST THAT VISOR; THAT VISOR IS AN ARRANT KNAVE, ON MY. KNOWLEDGE. Davy: 1 GRANT YOUR WORSHIP THAT HE IS A KNAVE, SIR;-huT YET, GoD FORNID, SIR, KNAVE SHOULD HAVE SOME COUNTENANCE AT HIS FRIEND'S REQUEST. AN HONEST MAN, S TO SPEAK FOR HIMSELF, WHEN A KNAVE IS NOT. THE KNAVE IS MINE HONEST FRIEND, SIR; FORE, | BESEECH YOUR WORSHIP, LET HIM BE COUNTENANCED. King Henry 1V., act fifth, scene first. Ccomicbooks.com