Life — September 9, 1920 — page 22: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical illustration from *Life* magazine depicting what appears to be a social or legal proceeding. The caption reads "Satisfactory Result of a Correspondence Course in F[encing]" (text is cut off). The image shows a woman who has apparently taken a correspondence course in fencing, now demonstrating her newfound skill by literally running a man through with a sword in what appears to be a formal parlor setting. Other well-dressed observers witness the scene. The satire likely mocks the era's proliferation of mail-order educational courses and their dubious quality, suggesting this woman's "correspondence course" training has made her dangerously competent—or that such courses produce absurd, impractical results. The humor derives from the unexpected violence and the juxtaposition of refined social settings with brutal swordsmanship.