Life — May 12, 1921 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "Essay on Wives" from Life Magazine This page presents an essay by Arthur Guterman critiquing marriage and wives, accompanied by a satirical cartoon. The text sarcastically argues that wives are necessary for men's intellectual development while simultaneously listing their faults—they're demanding, intrusive, and "keep their husbands guessing." The cartoon depicts anthropomorphized animals (appearing to be dogs or similar creatures) in a domestic scene, with one female figure declaring "Farewell, forever! Henceforth I shall live my own lives." The satire mocks both wives' supposed independence aspirations and husbands' anxieties about female autonomy. The overall piece reflects early 20th-century satirical humor about marriage tensions, portraying wives as simultaneously indispensable and burdensome—typical of the era's gender-based comedy that would seem outdated today.