Life — November 10, 1892 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "For Better, Not For Worse" This cartoon satirizes a divorce proceeding, with the title referencing the marriage vow phrase "for better or for worse." The caption presents a dialogue between a judge (or legal official) and a woman seeking divorce: **Judge:** "On what grounds, Madam, do you wish a divorce?" **Woman:** "Why, I married Barlow for money, and he has lost everything." The satire mocks both parties: the woman for marrying purely for financial gain rather than love, and implicitly the husband (Barlow) for his financial failure. The joke exposes the mercenary nature of marriages among the wealthy, suggesting that without money, the marriage has no foundation. The artwork's dramatic chiaroscuro style emphasizes the serious legal proceeding contrasting with the trivial reasoning presented.