Life — April 2, 1896 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon references Hamlet to satirize President Grover Cleveland's political situation. Cleveland (depicted as Hamlet's ghost) is tempted by the specter of a third presidential term—a controversial prospect since George Washington established the two-term tradition. His advisors Olney (Secretary of State) and Lamont (Secretary of Treasury) physically restrain him, echoing Hamlet's struggle with his father's ghost. The satire mocks Cleveland's apparent temptation toward seeking another term despite constitutional precedent and his advisors' opposition. The Shakespearean parallel elevates the political drama while suggesting Cleveland's potential candidacy is a haunting temptation he should resist—much like Hamlet must resist his father's spectral demands.