The Wasp — 1879 — page 668: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This May 22, 1880 *Wasp* cartoon satirizes political anticipation through the metaphor of shadows cast by "coming events." On the left, a well-dressed man on horseback casts a large shadow resembling two figures. On the right, three men near the Capitol building appear to be observing or reacting to these shadows. The satire likely comments on the 1880 presidential election (occurring that year). The mounted figure's shadow—suggesting multiple political personalities or potential candidates—represents how forthcoming events create uncertainty and speculation among political figures in Washington. The title "The Pleasures of Hope" ironically suggests that anticipation itself, rather than concrete outcomes, drives political engagement. The shadow imagery emphasizes how future events loom over present political calculations.