Life, 1894-03-15 · page 3 of 16
Life — March 15, 1894 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XXIII, Number 585) **The Cartoon:** The main illustration shows a man and woman in what appears to be a domestic interior with framed pictures on the wall. The caption reads: "The majority of men are heroes? I don't believe it! / The statistics bear it out. Less than half are bachelors." **The Joke:** This is a play on words about bachelor status versus heroism. The man claims most men aren't heroes; the woman counters that statistics prove otherwise—because fewer than half of men remain bachelors, meaning most are married. The implication is that marriage itself constitutes a heroic (or perhaps sacrificial) act for men. **Context:** This reflects early 20th-century attitudes about marriage as an obligation or burden for men, presented through a humorous domestic argument between a couple.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XxIll. NUMBER 585. She: THE MAJORITY OF MEN ARE HEROES? I DON'T BELIEVE IT! He: THE STATISTICS BEAR IT OUT, LESS THAN HALF ARE BACHELORS. YE SLEIGHRIDE PARTIE. terials E noisie sleighride starts with merrie din, When as returns eche manne and mayden faire, Eche gentil mayde ben well y tucken in, Nonne sound brasts out uponne ye frostie aire, And oftenwhyles illnatured urchins shy Save when perchannce in shawl-enveloped blisse Ye festive snow-balle swift as they passe bye. A blundering yokel gives too loud a kisse ; Ye bashfulle swayne hyme thinks, tho’ yet afraid, Or when ye uninformed, foolish wight, To haply hugge some comely simple mayde, Well meaning, hugges ye tender mayde to tight. And ever and anon a voice commands, . Nonne word is spoke, for in ye mone-light dimme, Betwixt ye trumpets’ peales: '* Hold uppe your hands !"" Eche felloe kens ye reste ben onto hym. —_Jack Stevens. comicbooks.com