Life — October 14, 1915 — page 23: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes a "strong-minded lady"—likely a feminist or women's rights advocate of the early 20th century—offering a wedding blessing with dark irony. Her comment "I trust you will be as happy as we have been" implies her own marriage was unhappy, contradicting the social expectation that newlyweds should receive encouraging wishes. The joke targets the emerging "New Woman" figure: independent-minded women who challenged conventional femininity and domestic roles. By having her inadvertently curse the couple with her own marital misery rather than offer proper congratulations, the cartoon mocks both her social awkwardness and suggests that pursuing women's independence leads to unhappy marriages. The title "Tragic Moments" underscores this cynical view of matrimony.