The Wasp — 1895 — page 117: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two cartoon vignettes satirizing women's behavior and choices: The first cartoon shows a woman (identified as "Miss Octavia Streeter") demonstrating her artistic skills, with the caption suggesting she paints "beautifully as old Madame de Brains" but claims to do things "naturally" — likely mocking pretense about feminine accomplishments. The second cartoon depicts a conversation between a man and woman about marriage, with the woman stating she "couldn't live without" him, implying women's economic dependence forces them into marriage. The caption "It Was Either Marry or Work" explicitly states this choice, satirizing the limited options available to women who couldn't support themselves independently. Both cartoons mock gender stereotypes of the era regarding women's capabilities and autonomy.