The Wasp — 1893 — page 233: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a man in formal dress confronting a woman at what appears to be a fence or railing. The caption reads: "Yes, so he is. I'll call that policeman!" The joke appears to reference a common melodramatic scenario of the era—a disreputable man accosting a respectable woman in public. The woman's threat to summon police suggests the man's improper behavior. "Baffled Villain" indicates the man is thwarted in his presumed nefarious intentions. This reflects period anxieties about public safety, feminine virtue, and the role of police protection in urban spaces. The cartoon satirizes stock theatrical villainy conventions popular in contemporary melodramas.