The Wasp — October 25, 1879 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a theater script page from *The Wasp*, presenting "Baruch Kowski, or Le Juif Polonais" (The Polish Jew)—a play adapted from French for the magazine by Salmi Morse. The page shows Act I dialogue and includes a wood-engraved illustration depicting what appears to be a domestic interior scene with multiple figures in Victorian-era clothing. Rather than political satire, this represents *The Wasp's* theatrical content—the magazine published plays alongside its cartoons. The title references a Polish-Jewish character, reflecting 19th-century theatrical interest in ethnic stereotypes and comedic character types common to the period. Without additional context about the specific plot or *The Wasp's* editorial stance toward this material, the exact satirical intent remains unclear.