The Wasp — 1879 — page 474: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text-based theatrical criticism**, not political satire. The masthead shows "L'Assommoir," indicating reviews of stage productions. The content critiques several theater pieces, particularly: - **"L'Assommoir"** — adapted from a French novel, criticized as depicting "the lowest scum of human life" with excessive realism - **"Sermons in Stones"** — praised for wit and clever situations - Productions at the Baldwin Theatre and Bush Street Theatre The reviewer expresses concern that some plays, while dramatically effective, promote moral decay through their brutal or degrading content. The satire targets theatrical pretension and the debate over whether realistic depictions of poverty and vice serve educational or merely exploitative purposes. This reflects period tensions between artistic merit and moral responsibility in theater.