Life, 1922-06-22 · page 23 of 34
Life — June 22, 1922 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This five-act comic play satirizes a same-sex couple (Narcissus and Fortesque) and their adopted son Hercules. The joke structure follows a classic comedic arc: the couple swears eternal devotion, has a child they can't agree resembles either parent, argues constantly about this point, and finally resolves the conflict when the child grows a beard—making him look masculine enough that each parent can claim he resembles the other. The satire appears to mock both same-sex relationships (treating them as inherently absurd) and vanity/narcissism (characters named after mythological narcissists). The beard's appearance as a "solution" suggests contemporary anxieties about masculine identity and legitimacy. The publication location (Sacramento, California) and magazine context suggest this reflects early 20th-century American attitudes toward non-traditional families as ridiculous fodder for humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Family Likeness A Play in Five Acts As produced for the first time in Sacramento, California Tuen born to them was Hercules, First-begotten, if you please; “My dear, our darling looks like you,” Said both Narcis and Fortesque. Act 1V Upon this rock they must have split, So frequently they ran on it, Until young Herk one day appeared, The proud possessor of a beard. Act I Narcissus and young Fortesque, Faithful lovers, fond and true, Fortesque and fair Narcissus, Swore to live on cheese and kisses. Act Il Lonc time they argued, pro and con, The only point they quarreled on— Their child, a blighting nemesis To Fortesque and fair Narcis. ON aoe ic Bs eh K ic rf } } al ram Xv Act V Ar this his mater cried with glee: “Our child does not resemble me— Admit, at last, he looks like you,” Cried Narcie to her Fortesque. comicbooks.com