Life, 1896-11-05 · page 1 of 24
Life — November 5, 1896 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, November 5, 1896 This page features a satirical illustration titled "In Chicago" depicting what appears to be an interior scene with well-dressed figures in conversation. The caption reads: "She: BEFORE I SAY YES, I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. 'WHAT IS IT, DEAR?' 'DO YOU BELIEVE IN LONG MARRIAGES?'" The humor appears to satirize marriage proposal etiquette and women's skepticism about matrimonial commitment. The woman's question subverts the traditional romantic proposal moment by introducing practical, even cynical concerns about marriage longevity. This reflects late-19th-century anxieties about marriage stability and possibly contemporary feminist questioning of traditional gender roles and marital expectations. The setting suggests urban, middle-class society of 1890s Chicago.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEW YORK. NOVEMBER 65, 1896. Entered at the New York Post Office’ as “Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1896, by MrrcuxLt & MILLER. VOLUME XXVIII. | | Fo F NUMBER IN CHICAGO, EFORE I SAY YES, 1 WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, WHAT IS IT, DEAR?” “DO YOU BELIEVE IN LONG MARRIAGES?” f Lom ! ~ comicbooks.com