Life — June 28, 1888 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Leap Year" (Life, June 28, 1888) This poem celebrates the tradition of **Leap Year**, when women could conventionally propose to men—reversing normal gender roles. The illustrated couple depicts a woman boldly declaring her romantic intentions during this socially-sanctioned reversal. The poem's narrative describes a woman making an advance to a reluctant man ("his rougish eyes were downcast"), emphasizing the unusual scenario where female agency in courtship was temporarily acceptable. The accompanying illustration shows an intimate moment in a conservatory setting, romanticizing this brief female empowerment. The satire gently mocks both Victorian courtship conventions and the absurdity of restricting women's romantic agency to a single leap year occurrence. The initials "M.E.W." credit the author. This reflects 1880s attitudes toward gender roles and marriage customs.