Puck — September 17, 1879 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: Puck, September 17, 1879 This cartoon satirizes political corruption during the Gilded Age. The small figure labeled "Kelly" (likely referring to a New York politician) stands in New York, while a massive boot labeled "Solid Democracy" crushes him at Syracuse. The boot's enormous size relative to Kelly emphasizes how Democratic political machinery overwhelmed individual politicians or reformers. The caption "What fools these Mortals be!" (from *A Midsummer Night's Dream*) mocks the naive belief that individuals could resist party power. The cartoonist criticizes how the Democratic Party's consolidated strength—its "solid" control—could eliminate political opposition or dissent through sheer institutional force. This reflects Reconstruction-era concerns about political monopolies and machine politics dominating American democracy.