Puck — May 29, 1878 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Satire from Puck, May 29, 1878 This cartoon, titled "Strikari" (a play on "Strike"), depicts five portly politicians or labor figures depicted as sumo wrestlers or rotund characters, each labeled with various political positions or resolutions. The central figure appears to be the main target of the satire. The title "What fools these Mortals be!" references Shakespeare's *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, suggesting the figures are acting foolishly. The imagery satirizes what appears to be labor disputes or political conflicts of 1878—likely strike-related controversies or failed political negotiations of that era. The exaggerated physiques and theatrical poses mock the subjects as simultaneously pompous and ridiculous. Without clearer label legibility, specific figures remain uncertain, but the satire clearly ridicules political incompetence during a contentious period of American labor history.