The Wasp — 1879 — page 57: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily text-based editorial content rather than political cartoons. The masthead features decorative imagery of classical figures and the publication's seal. The main articles critique: 1. **"The Woman Who Goes to Church"** — Satirizes middle-class women's selective piety, noting their religious devotion contrasts with their gossip, materialism, and shallow understanding of faith. The piece mocks their fashionable church attendance while lacking genuine theological knowledge. 2. **"Mormonish"** — Attacks Mormon polygamy as hypocritical religiosity masking immoral practices. The author argues Mormonism uses religious pretense to justify practices that violate civilized standards and human decency. Both pieces target religious hypocrisy among their subjects, using biting social commentary typical of satirical journalism of this era.