The Wasp — 1894 — page 169: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon mocks the absurdity of attempting to ride bicycles at the North or South Pole. The sequential panels show a well-dressed cyclist encountering increasingly ridiculous obstacles: harsh terrain, "STREET CLOSED" signs, and workers with tools blocking passage. The humor lies in the contrast between a gentleman on a bicycle—a leisurely urban mode of transport—and the hostile, impassable polar environment. The cartoon likely satirizes either an actual polar expedition attempt or the broader Victorian obsession with cycling as a solution to modern travel. The title suggests ironic heroism: presenting an impossible, absurd endeavor as if it were a grand adventure. The rest of the page comprises period advertisements for champagne, hats, tailoring, and other luxury goods targeting affluent readers.