Britannia (Symbolic character)

Britannia, carrying a large white flag labeled “Civilization” with British soldiers and colonists behind her, advances on a horde of natives, one carrying a flag labeled “Barbarism.” Caption: Though the process be costly, the road to progress must be cut.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon is a virtual poster, or an emblem, of the colonialist mentality of the day. Africa is the setting. The British had just subdued the Dutch-descended Boers, in southern Africa. In the rest of the continent, the Belgians brutally dealt with uprisings in the Congo; and the German government gobbled up what practically was the last “free” land for colonials in southwest Africa. Almost exactly eight years subsequent to this cartoon’s publication, former president Theodore Roosevelt emerged from a long safari in Africa and, invited to speak in Cairo, Egypt, lectured the British about proper colonial administration — “or leave Egypt.”

Britannia stands with an injured farmer (“Boer”) and an African native, showing them a view of the future when “Enlightened Government” comes to South Africa after the Boer War is over.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Puck Magazine consistently championed the “White Man’s Burden,” as much for British Imperialism as for America’s expansionism. Rival publications like Life Magazine, and public figures like Mark Twain, were consistent critics of the British during the Boer War. At the time of this cartoon, the Boers were quite successfully refusing to capitulate to British soldiers.

Illustration showing Britannia wearing a robe decorated with shamrocks, an armor breastplate, helmet, and with a large sword at her side, wooing a figure representing Ireland sitting in a chair. Caption: Britannia. — I love you so! Pat. — Begorra, Ma’am, this is very suddint!

comments and context

Comments and Context

1900 was one of the high-water marks in the choppy seas of centuries of English-Irish conflicts. Independence from England was to be granted to the majority of Irish counties in 1922, after increasing riots and the momentous Hunger Strike of Irish freedom fighters in 1916. While Ireland was a constituent part of Great Britain, it sent representatives to the Parliament at Whitehall and members were variously wooed and shunned by British parties. In 1900 there was a movement in Dublin to reunite a political party that tilted toward Republicanism — independence. As the cartoon shows, Lady Britannia flirted with the gullible Irish, a ploy that was in fact growing less successful. 

A scruffy man labeled “Russia” carries a rope and attempts to set a ladder against a pillar labeled “Supremacy” topped with a statue of “Britannia.” At the base of the pillar is a pile of fallen statues labeled “Alexander, Napoleon, Charles V, Charles the Great, [and] Caesar.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-07-20

Columbia and Britannia place laurel wreaths at a monument for Thomas F. Bayard that states, “Bayard who earnestly fought to promote good feeling between England and the United States and for which he was censured by Congress.” Caption: Columbia and Britannia–Let us not forget the man who did more than any other to bring us together. Time has justified him in the eyes of his countrymen.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-10-12

An elderly woman representing Britannia stands at the “European Intelligence Office” seeking help from a group of women. The women, labeled “Italy, Austria, Turkey, Russia, Spain, La France,” and one unidentified woman who may represent Germany, are seated in the office, some holding papers on their lap labeled “Character” and “References.” Caption: Mrs. Britannia–Bless my ‘art! – hi need ‘elp so bad, an’ I cawn’t engage none ‘of ’em to ‘elp me!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-18

Britannia and Columbia shake hands from the bows of British and American battleships. Dark clouds behind Britannia are labeled “Eastern Question,” and behind Columbia are the dark clouds of war labeled “Spanish-American War.” Caption: Britannia – Daughter! / Columbia – Mother!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-06-15

Print shows John Bull attempting to reassure Uncle Sam that the storm clouds labeled “Philippine Complications” blowing in from the right will soon pass; he gestures toward a monument labeled “Civilization” carved with figures labeled “Guiana, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, India, Canada, Egypt, S. Africa, [and] W. Indies,” topped with “Britannia” seated with the British Lion.

Caption: John Bull–Don’t get discouraged, Sam! I’ve had just that sort of trouble for three hundred years, while I’ve been building this monument. It has cost many human lives and much money, but the whole world, as well as England, has benefited by it.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Print shows Columbia introducing “Japan” to Britannia as a group of women labeled “Russia, Turkey, Italy, Austria, Spain, [and] France” gather around. Minerva is sitting on the left, and a woman labeled “China” is looking over a wall in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-08-16

“Britannia” stands on the left, holding “Concessions to Ireland,” and “Hibernia” stands on the right in a militant pose. Between them is a nasty looking man with two “Dynamite” bombs slung over his shoulders.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-06-11