The Wasp — 1877 — page 75: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a sequential comic strip depicting a homeless man's prank on two young troublemakers who harass him in his barrel dwelling. The narrative follows the "tramp" as he exacts revenge: the boys approach to drench him with water, but he pokes his head out and startles them. He then pursues them, and they attempt to escape by rolling the barrel—which tumbles chaotically with all three inside. The boys' clothes catch on nails, they're ejected into the air, and the barrel continues rolling until finally coming to rest. The satire appears to mock both the homeless ("weary tramp") and mischievous street youth, presenting working-class urban life as violent slapstick. The humor relies on physical comedy and comeuppance, typical of Victorian-era satirical illustration.