Life — August 26, 1897 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon titled "Evolution" compares courtship practices across historical periods. The verse references "Bluff King Hal" (Henry VIII), noting that in Tudor times, men courted women through sword fighting and dueling for their affections. The illustration contrasts this with contemporary (early 20th-century) courtship: elegantly dressed women on the left represent the traditional ideal, while on the right, men in increasingly ridiculous costumes and poses—including what appears to be a devil or demon figure with a sword—suggest modern courting has become absurd theatrical performance. The satire mocks how Edwardian-era male courtship behavior, while no longer literally violent, had become equally performative and foolish—just in different, more comical ways. The "evolution" is ironic: behavior has supposedly progressed, but men still look equally ridiculous trying to win women's affections.