The Wasp — 1890 — page 382: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon uses allegorical figures to satirize class conflict. **Britannia** (the female figure representing Britain, holding the flag marked "COMMON SENSE") attempts to bridge a literal chasm between two figures representing **Capital** (the well-dressed man on the right) and **Labor** (the bearded working-man on the left). The cartoon's ironic title suggests these opposing forces will unite, yet the visual composition emphasizes the vast, unbridgeable gulf between them. Scattered debris—tools, buckets, and implements—litter the gap below, suggesting the destruction caused by their conflict. The satire critiques either the false optimism that these antagonistic classes could reconcile, or blames both for perpetuating division despite efforts toward unity.