Life, 1890-02-27 · page 3 of 18
Life — February 27, 1890 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Not an Enthusiast" — Life Magazine Cartoon This cartoon satirizes a woman's lack of interest in Wagner's classical music. The caption shows her telling a man (presumably her husband) that Wagner's compositions don't move her emotionally—her legs don't respond even when she hears it. The humor relies on early 20th-century cultural assumptions: Wagner was considered high art requiring emotional sophistication, so a woman's indifference to it was comedic. The cartoon mocks both the pretentiousness around classical music appreciation and suggests women's supposed shallowness. The page's humorous vignettes below ("A Fatal Draught," "A Compromise," "An Eclipse") follow similar domestic comedy patterns typical of Life magazine's satirical approach to marriage and gender relations of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XV. : L | F E ° NUMBER 374. NOT AN ENTHUSIAST. Ske (a leader of fashion): DOESN'T WAGNER'S MUSIC CARRY YOU AWAY? He (an independent): No, 8UT MY LEGS DO I HEAR IT, AGAIN. T may be of interest for the public to know that one day last week the prophecy of the U.S. Signal Service tallied with the weather. This is the second time their forecast has proved correct within two months. We are glad to notice the improvement, A FATAL DRAUGHT. OMAN: I gave my husband a taste of the broomstick half an hour ago, and he went out, swearing he would kill some one. Has he been here? SALOON-KEEPER: Yes, ma’am; John was in here, Woman: Did he kill anybody ? SALOON-KEEPER: Oh, no. He took two drinks of our ‘best whisky and then left. WoMAN: Poor John! I didn’t mean to drive him to suicide, UNDOUBTEDLY HE HAS. ALLETTE: Has young Dauber any artistic ability ? MAHLSTICK: Well, I've seen him draw a cork with great success, A COMPROMISE. RS. JINKS: My dear, I wish you would take me to see Ibsen's new play. MR. Jinks (who hates to be bored): My love. if you'll let the play go I'll—I'll accompany you to church next Sunday. AN ECLIPSE. OTHER: I'mafraid your husband is going to be ill. How did he look this morning at breakfast ? YouNG Wire: I didn't see him, He was reading the paper. comicbooks.com