Life, 1893-03-02 · page 1 of 14
Life — March 2, 1893 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Going By Precedent" - Life Magazine, March 2, 1893 This cartoon depicts a romantic disagreement between a young couple. The man objects to the woman's plan to marry, insisting her parents didn't marry to please *him*—implying he won't marry to please *them*. The title "Going By Precedent" suggests the woman is citing parental wishes as justification, while the man counters with the logical precedent that her parents made their own choice freely. The cartoon satirizes stubbornness in romantic disputes and the clash between dutiful obedience to parental authority versus individual autonomy in matters of marriage—a recurring tension in 1890s social comedy. The elaborate Art Nouveau borders and typography are typical of Life's design aesthetic from this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XXI. NEW YORK, MARCH 2, 1893. NUMBER 531. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1893, by Mrrcuent & Miter. GOING BY PRECEDENT. “*BUT YOU CERTAINLY OUGHT TO CONSIDER THE WISHES OF YOUR PARENTS,” “WHY SHOULD 1? 7hey DIDN'T MARRY TO PLEASE me/" comicbooks.com