Life, 1909-08-26 · page 5 of 28
Life — August 26, 1909 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece critiques modern literary heroines by nostalgically praising older fictional female characters. The text laments that contemporary heroines lack the idealized qualities of their predecessors—they're described as having peculiar features, ungainly proportions, and being "weary" or difficult. The article argues for a return to traditional heroines: selfless, devoted women who inspire love and devotion rather than critical analysis. It contrasts this with current literature featuring "mean women with clever minds" who are "weary" and unappealing. The accompanying illustration labeled "Wish I Was Sure Love Was Blind" shows a couple by water, humorously depicting the disconnect between romantic ideals and reality. This reflects early 20th-century anxieties about changing female characterization and the perceived loss of feminine ideals in modern fiction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ith in: ost ret opiane r rea of the a $0 he J A Plea for the Good Old Heroine wuts is the pretty girl heroine to? Alas, she is no more! Now no respectable writer dares to make his heroine a beauty. Instead of this, she always has some peculiarity that makes an individual of her, but robs her of sentiment. She is “ scraggly."” she is “pinched " in her features, she has a large and uneven smile that wanders aimlessly over her face, her nose is too large or too small, and, as for her hair, it is never even mentioned. There was a time when she had golden tresses that hung down her back, or waved in the errant breeze. There was a time when her bosom rose and fell with varying emotions, when her eyes were tender and true, and her neck was swanlike Will some kind gentleman author bring her back to us? We want to love her once more. We want to feel her “WISH I WAS SURE LOVE WAS BLIND” warm breath on our checks, and clasp her clinging form to ours. We want to take her taper fingers, and steal around her slender waist, kiss her ruby lips and snuggle up to the roses on her cheeks. We miss her more than we can say. Wandering through the long bare stretch of the modern novel with nothing but smart sayings to interest and Lad, mean women with clever minds to talk to, we are weary. O, heroine of old, come back! We will take you to our hearts, We will fight for you, nurse you to life and strength, and love you until you can’t res We N laws are those which oman makes a doesn't enforce. Unwritten laws are those which God makes and en- forces, but which mon doesn’t un- ‘ derstand. HE avera; erected in haste and tombstone is forgotten at leisure YREDDIE, YOU'LL WEAR OUT THE OF YOUR PANTS comicbooks.com