The Wasp — 1895 — page 405: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a wealthy man and woman at a picnic. The man appears to be propositioning the woman romantically, saying "You wouldn't marry a man for his money would you?" She responds, "No: but I couldn't let the poor fellow suffer because he was rich." The satire targets both wealth and gender relations. The woman's reply mocks the hypocrisy of the wealthy—she claims noble motives (preventing the man's suffering from wealth) while actually pursuing his money. The cartoon suggests that among the affluent, romantic interest and financial interest are inseparable, and that women will rationalize mercenary marriages as acts of mercy or benevolence. The joke reflects turn-of-the-century anxieties about gold-diggers and class-based courtship.