Life, 1898-03-24 · page 1 of 20
Life — March 24, 1898 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Cover, March 24, 1898 The main cartoon depicts two men in top hats facing each other, smoking cigars, with a small figure between them. The caption reads: "THE PROBLEM OF LIFE IS A DEEP ONE. WHERE CAN WE FIND A SOLUTION?" with the suggestion "GO TO ANY DRUGGIST." This is satirical commentary on a contemporary social issue—likely referencing either patent medicine culture or a political/social problem of 1898. The two well-dressed figures represent establishment authority or opposing viewpoints, while the tiny figure between them suggests an insignificant person caught in an important debate. The punchline mocks the era's tendency to solve complex problems through commercial remedies (druggists commonly sold patent medicines and tonics as cure-alls). The ornate decorative border on the left is typical of Life's design aesthetic of this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XXX], NEW YORK, MARCH 24, 1898. ; NUMBER 797. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 18, by Life Publishing Company. pricanys SVM. ALWAYS OPEN “THE PROBLEM OF LIFE IS A DEEP ONE, WHERE CAN WE FIND A SOLUTION? “G0 TO ANY DRUGGIST.”