The Wasp — 1891 — page 462: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts what appears to be a social call between two figures—likely representing different classes or social stations. The dialogue is mock-heroic, with one figure asking the other increasingly personal questions about financial and physical hardship: "Will you take another turn in the ball room, Miss Crisp?" progressing to "Maybe you would like to go into the conservatory?" and ultimately "You don't seem to be able to stand much, do you?" The satire targets the pretense of upper-class social rituals while hinting at economic struggle. The title "Heroic Endurance" suggests the figure (possibly Miss Crisp) must pretend wellness and social participation despite actual poverty or ill health—mocking both Victorian social expectations and the desperation required to maintain appearances during economic hardship.