A complete issue · 16 pages · 1877
Puck — November 21, 1877
# Puck Magazine, November 21, 1877 The main cartoon, titled "NO MORE CONFISCATION: HOW TO MAKE PUCK ACCEPTABLE TO THE FRENCH AND GERMAN GOVERNMENTS," depicts three military figures in Prussian/German and French uniforms engaged in dialogue or negotiation. The satire appears to mock diplomatic tensions between France and Germany following the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). The cartoon suggests that Puck magazine—known for biting political satire—has become so controversial that it offends both French and German governments. The "confiscation" reference likely indicates that foreign authorities had seized or banned issues of the magazine. The joke seems to be that Puck must become completely bland and inoffensive to satisfy these rival powers—an impossible task for a satirical publication.
# "Puck's Essential Oil of Congress" This cartoon satirizes congressional ineffectiveness through the metaphor of a patent medicine. The figure at left appears to be a congressman or senator literally *squeezing* Congress like a bottle of tonic, extracting its essence. The joke mocks how little substantive output Congress produces—suggesting its "essential oil" is negligible, like snake oil. The accompanying text criticizes various congressmen's speeches about the Resumption Act (currency policy), national honor, and labor disputes. Puck ridicules them as blowhards who accomplish little while talking endlessly. The cartoon suggests Congress itself has become a worthless nostrum—all packaging and marketing with no actual benefit to the nation.
# Analysis of Puck Magazine Page 3 This page contains three distinct sections: a poem titled "The Lion-Tamer," text about "An Interesting Book" discussing Claude de Hyven's serialized fiction, and a short piece called "Fitznoodle in America" featuring an illustration of a figure seated in a chair. The "Fitznoodle" section appears to be satirical commentary about Philadelphia life—specifically mocking the city's pretensions and character. The seated figure's caricature suggests ridicule of a particular social type or personality associated with the city. The overall page mixes literary commentary with gentle social satire typical of Puck's approach. Without clearer visual context for all figures, the specific targets remain somewhat unclear, though the humor clearly targets American social and urban pretensions of the period.
