Women

A young woman plays a lute as a group of rabbit cavaliers dance around her. In the background, two monks whisper to each other at the entrance to a monastery.

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Comments and Context

Louis M. Glackens continued his role as Puck‘s artist for holiday, seasonal, and specialty theme issues, with cartoons such as this. Decorative illustrations, social cartoons, and holiday artwork, more than occasionally gracing Puck covers as the century progressed, doubtlessly attracted additional readers; or, as the magazine’s business office might have noted, stopped the disinclination of partisan readers to buy a week’s issue, if they disagreed with the political message on most covers.

A priest stands on the left holding a paper that states “The steady decline of womanhood from its old ideals.” Puck pulls back a curtain to reveal women in many roles in society, such as doctors, lawyers, school teachers, athletes, artists, nurses, secretaries, “Tenement House Inspectors,” and as members of such organizations as the “S.P.C.A.” Caption: Puck — Do you really think, my clerical friend, that the old ideals were better than these?

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Through its life as a publication, Puck frequently found fault with clerics and traditional denominations, although not with the Bible itself. Sermons and messages that Puck criticized usually dealt with what it deemed to be excesses, foolish pronouncements, and hypocrisy.

An elderly woman labeled “Democracy” stands next to a trunk labeled “Old Issues” and with a tag that states “To the White House.” Standing at the curb are several cab drivers labeled “Parker, Olney, Johnson, Shepard, Gorman, [and] Watterson” hoping to pick up a fare, and two other drivers labeled “Cleveland” and “Bryan” sitting on their carriages. Cleveland does not appear interested, though Bryan, on his cab labeled “16 to 1,” holding up his hat, calls out above the others.

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Political cartoons, when well designed, not only present issues and events clearly, but also convey subtexts, background information, and nuances that speak to readers of their time, and to subsequent students of history.

Senator George F. Hoar, as an old woman waving an umbrella, yells at Uncle Sam as he confidently walks away from her with a shovel on his shoulder and papers labeled “Canal Plans” under his arm. Two diminutive figures labeled “Colombia” and “Philippines” are standing next to Hoar.

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George Frisbie Hoar, Republican Senator from Massachusetts, was an old-line part loyalist for years, but a maverick on the issue of expansionism. He was consistent on this issue, to the extent of speaking out against the Spanish-American War; a leading opponent of territorial expansion and acquisition of defeated Spanish possessions, he never actually joined the American Anti-Imperialist League. The organization, founded by Mark Twain and whose members included former president Grover Cleveland, made prominent arguments in public debates but was short-lived.

In a kitchen, a young woman prepares a pie while four young children watch. A dead turkey lies on a table and a large pumpkin stands on the floor.

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Comments and Context

Increasingly during the first decade of the twentieth century, Puck devoted more issues to holidays and seasonal observances, as with this Thanksgiving-themed issue. And increasingly the magazine devoted more attention to decorative covers. Rose O’Neill, Frank Nankivell, and L. M. Glackens were most often assigned these covers and spreads; and memorable reflections of the spirit of the times, like this happy drawing, tenderly colored, resulted.

A haughty, well-dressed woman sits in the middle of a ballroom, holding a paper that states “Society hence-forth will strive to attract brains, not mere vulgar wealth. –A leader of Alleged Society.” Around her are animal acts, gambling tables, men eating on horseback, people with small animals, and a monkey, wearing clothing, squatting on the floor eating off china. Caption: Puck — Madam, you can attract neither brains nor decency to society with this miserable outfit.

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The “400” was the term given to the cream of American society, unconsciously bestowed by Ward McAllister, the unofficial arbiter of social events in Manhattan and Newport in the 1880s, and coined because of the capacity at one ball’s location. For social aspirants it became a term of ambition; for a growing class of moralistic conservatives — for instance, Theodore Roosevelt, who considered the playgrounds of the rich to be vulgar — and to the socially conscious and the poor, the activities of the 400 was something to disdain.

A “real American girl” sails a small boat around rocks that look like crowns of royalty in the “Sea of Matrimony” where boats labeled “American Fortunes” have shipwrecked. Caption: Puck — The real American girl is too clever to be wrecked here.

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This cartoon reflects a common theme, perhaps an easy target, of American cartoonists of this era: American women of social status seeking marriages with foreigners of nobility, or titles — or, as the critiques went, bartering wealth for “position.” To the extent this situation was real, it clearly was a two-way street, with the nouveau riche American families rescuing the fortunes (or lack thereof) of ancient landed gentry, usually British.

A fashionably dressed woman wearing goggles is taking a drive in an automobile. Through a series of vignettes her slim figure and dress attract considerable attention. However, when she removes her goggles, exposing some blemishes to her looks, the men react with horror.

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This cartoon is more than a cartoon strip on the cliched idea of an ugly spinster being mistaken as a pretty maid by men she encounters. It is a window into some of the fads and fancies, manners and morals of a forgotten time. There are several distinctive elements that tell us that the turn of the Twentieth Century was a period of peaceful but profound changes in society.

An old woman labeled “Democratic Party” stands in the “Democratic Intelligence Bureau” managed by “J.K. Jones” who is sitting behind a desk. She is “looking for help” and taking a good look at several prospective candidates, from left: David B. Hill “No objection to dirty work,” William Jennings Bryan “Used to waiting,” Richard Olney “Old but regular,” Edward M. Shepard “Will do anything,” Alton B. Parker “Neat and quiet,” and Arthur P. Gorman “Willing and obliging.”

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A common theme of the time among political cartoonists, even Democrat cartoonists, is the weak field of national candidates. In Pughe’s variation, this Puck cartoon pictures the old-maid Democrat lady looking for household help — a presidential candidate for the following year.

Outside a church, an old woman labeled “Democratic Party” stands between William Jennings Bryan as a friar labeled “16 to 1” and Arthur P. Gorman as the devil. She is smiling as she looks toward the devil. Caption: Mephisto Gorman — You’ve been fasting long enough with dull Friar William. Follow me. I’ll lead you to -.

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One of the thematic preoccupations of cartoonists in these years was the end of Lent — signifying (in cartoons, if not in real life) shedding the bonds of holy circumspection. In the interior pages, black-and-white humorous cartoons dealt with society girls and eligible bachelors.  Sometimes dealing with temptations. Cartoonist Pughe adds politics and current events to mix in this center-spread cartoon in Puck.

An old woman labeled “Democratic Party” turns a wheelbarrow to dump politicians labeled “Bryan, Olney, Gorman, Hill, Shepard, [and] Johnson” into a sandpit labeled the “Democratic Dumping Ground” where only the feet of other, previously discarded, Democrats are visible.

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What makes this cartoon particularly interesting to students of history is that the cartoonist Pughe was not criticizing Democrats from “across the aisle” or from an adversarial point of view. Puck Magazine was Democratic, and beseeched its own leaders, or moss-bound leaders of recent years, to clean house. Except for Grover Cleveland, there had been no Democratic president since before the Civil War. It is interesting that the cartoonist did not even label the politicians’ issues that failed to excite voters (free trade, bimetallism, anti-expansion), suggesting the leaders themselves had worn out their welcomes. Even Tom Johnson, reform mayor of Cleveland, is among the deplorables in Pughe’s cartoon.

Two young Irish women talk at a stand selling “Soda Water” next to a busy city street. Caption: Maggie — He’s going ter buy me an autermobile – dat’s wat! / Katie — An autermobile, eh? An’ where’s he goin’ ter git der dough? / Maggie — Well, he’s goin’ ter watch his chance an’ git run over by one, an’ den sue fer damages!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-08-27

Two young women, holding golf clubs, discuss one’s relationship with a male friend in the context of a round of golf, punning on the word “paresis.” Caption: Gladys — Is Ferdy suffering from paresis? / Ethel — Suffering? Dear me, no! Why, he thinks he’s a golf champion!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-04-30

A prim elderly woman admonishes a tramp lying on the ground next to a dirt road on the outskirts of a rural community. Caption: Mrs. Stern — Why don’t you brace up and be a man and take the place in society to which you are entitled? / Languid Lannigan (yawning) — Aw! Ping-pong is sich a bore don’t yer know!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-06-04

A woman lying in a hammock daydreams of engaging in various social and sport activities with handsome young men. She imagines herself shooting, sailing, dancing, sitting on a beach, golfing, playing ping-pong and badminton, and fencing.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-07-30

A young woman is accompanied by an elderly matron as they depart a summer resort for the return trip to the city for the winter social season. Included is a brief verse by Arthur H. Folwell describing the scene.

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The poem by Puck‘s editor Arthur H. Folwell illustrates the contemporary theme, repeated in countless cartoons and humorous observations of the day, of the “Summer Girl” taking to summer resorts, not so much to exercise or relax, but to seek romance and husbands. Even as she leaves the resort, Ehrhart’s “summer girl” (his pretty girls were Puck‘s counterparts to Life Magazine’s Gibson Girls) reflexively reveals petticoats and an ankle, which was relatively daring in 1902.

Two young women kiss Santa Claus as he enters through a window with his bag of toys.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-12-03

Two Irish women talk in a kitchen over a cup of tea. In the background, an old man is sitting in a rocking chair, reading the newspaper. Caption: Mrs. Kelly — Does your husband get good pay, Mrs. Rooney? / Mrs. Rooney — Well, he would, Mrs. Kelly, ef ut wasn’t fer shtriking so often fer better pay.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-12-17

An attractive young woman talks to a handsome young man at the theater. They are discussing the benefits of marriage. Caption: Miss Blossom — But a married man always has some one to share his sorrows, you know! / Jack Bachelor — Not always; – every married man can’t afford to keep a valet and a butler.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-04-02

Several young women wearing their new Easter fashions stand outside a church. Included is a poem titled “The Easter Girls” by Madeline Bridges.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902-03-26