The Wasp — September 13, 1879 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Royal Hottentots": A Satirical Burlesque This page presents a one-act theatrical burlesque titled "The Royal Hottentots," mocking colonial-era attitudes toward African peoples. The dramatic personae list divides characters into "Black Hottentots" and "White Hottentots," suggesting the satire ridicules both African stereotypes and European colonizers equally. The illustrations depict exaggerated, caricatured figures in absurd situations—including a character in military dress with grotesque features. The text includes theatrical dialogue about "monsters" and "cocoanut" that relies on dehumanizing language typical of the era. The satire appears to mock both African people through stereotyping AND European colonizers through parody, though the execution relies heavily on racist caricature conventions standard to 19th-century American humor magazines. The "burlesque" format suggests absurdist theatrical comedy.