Puck, 1877-05 · page 8 of 16
Puck — May 1877 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This political cartoon satirizes a journey through corrupt or morally questionable institutions. The title references John Bunyan's *Pilgrim's Progress*, a religious allegory about spiritual journey. The image shows several figures in what appears to be an official or institutional setting. A portly military or government official dominates the center, while civilians in dark coats—appearing distressed or subservient—occupy the lower portion. The contrast between the well-dressed, decorated authority figure and the ordinary citizens suggests commentary on power imbalance or exploitation. Without seeing the full caption or date, the exact target is unclear, but the "pilgrims" appear to be common people navigating a corrupt system rather than achieving spiritual enlightenment. The satire likely critiques institutional hypocrisy or abuse of authority during the Gilded Age.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE NEW PILGRIMS’ PROGRESS.—ENLIGH ‘a comicbooks.com