Puck, 1878-01-30 · page 5 of 16
Puck — January 30, 1878 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a 12-panel satirical narrative about an elopement involving a Harem, a Sultan, and Sir Arthur (likely a British military figure). The story depicts a romantic escape: a woman (Zaleima, "pride of the Harem") flees with her lover, a British knight. The satire plays on Victorian-era anxieties about: - **Imperial romance**: A British officer seducing an Ottoman official's concubine - **Oriental exoticism**: The exotic "Harem" setting contrasts with buttoned-up British propriety - **Military honor**: Sir Arthur's martial dignity undermined by a love scandal The humor escalates through comedic chaos—guards sleeping on duty, failed pursuits, and the lovers' narrow escapes—mocking both Ottoman ineffectiveness and British romantic scandal. The final panels suggest their successful flight to England.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1, See Zuleima, the pride of the Harem, fly From the wink in her lord and master’s eye. 4. The guard is human, as mést guards are, And the knight starts in with his gay guitar. — 6 2 ; oe 10. Ifa crime is atoned for when red blood flows, The lovers are shrived from the Sultan's nose. PUCK. THE ELOPEMENT. ——————oe 2. Hat!” cries the Sultan, “ she dies in an hour! Till then, guard her close in the lofty tower.” 3. 'Tis the English Sir Arthur, leal and true, Striving Zuleima’s guard to woo. Jeeps fast; through the twilight dim tir sees beck'ning a lovely—limb. 8. Up Sir Arthur's ladder they stealthy climb: ««T don’t see ’em—are we in time?” Steg 11, And afar in a fairy shallop they ride, Toward England, hreasting the billowy tide. Sey . And Sir A. does a bit of Mont ey While the chief of the Harem steals in view. 9. Yest just in time for a tumble—for The lovers burst from the lower door. 12. While the Sultan rubs his olfactories hard, ‘And takes it out of the Chief and the Guard, comicbooks.com