The Wasp — May 29, 1880 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Page Content Analysis This page is primarily **text-based serialized fiction**, not a political cartoon. It's "Phases of History Not Generally Given in Detail," written by Salmi Morse for *The Wasp* magazine. The narrative appears to be a **domestic comedy** involving characters including Mrs. Winslow, a niece named Nanny, and a man named Bill. The humor centers on **class and social propriety**: Mrs. Winslow is concerned with propriety and respectability, while Bill uses crude language and behaves improperly. The satire mocks **Victorian social pretensions** and the clash between working-class informality and upper-class conventions. The piece satirizes both characters—the snobbish widow and the uncouth man—rather than making specific political commentary. This appears to be **social satire rather than political commentary**.