Life — December 2, 1886 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Sauce for the Goose" - Life Magazine, December 2, 1886 This satirical cartoon depicts a domestic scene with the caption "SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE." The dialogue reads: "Mrs. Charles: Why, Charley! You are not going as you are! / Charles: Why, yes; aren't you?" The joke plays on the phrase "sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander"—meaning equal treatment should apply to both parties. Here, Mrs. Charles objects to her husband's appearance (he's dressed casually), implying he's not appropriately dressed. His response suggests she's equally underdressed, turning her criticism back on her. The satire appears to mock Victorian gender double-standards regarding dress and propriety, where wives held husbands to strict standards while potentially ignoring their own shortcomings.