I’m particularly fond of the sub-genre of Victorian jokes in which women rebuff the unwanted advances of amorous male suitors. They’re often rather savage!
- Tit-Bits (31 Dec 1892)
- Tit-Bits (31 Dec 1892)
The formula of these jokes is probably starting to become clear now. Still, I quite like this one, chiefly because of the man’s absurdly over-the-top declarations of love...
- Tit-Bits (1893).
- Tit-Bits (1893).
Ouch! I’m beginning to feel a bit sorry for these Victorian men now...
- Tit-Bits magazine, 11 March 1893.
- Tit-Bits magazine, 11 March 1893.
I posted this Victorian joke a while back, but it fits the theme! https://twitter.com/VictorianHumour/status/861559712315310080">https://twitter.com/Victorian...
Proof that the sick burns continued *after* marriage! https://twitter.com/VictorianHumour/status/952152036090564609">https://twitter.com/Victorian...
Another old one... https://twitter.com/VictorianHumour/status/941641527457206273">https://twitter.com/Victorian...
Turns out I& #39;ve posted quite a few jokes on this theme... https://twitter.com/VictorianHumour/status/935922672709533697">https://twitter.com/Victorian...
One more for now... https://twitter.com/VictorianHumour/status/934618494179643392">https://twitter.com/Victorian...
Another Victorian burn, this time involving a married couple. There’s something more affectionate about this one...
- Tit-Bits (1893)
- Tit-Bits (1893)
It’s amazing how many Victorian jokes were published on the theme of women mocking men’s romantic advances. I’m finding several of them in each issue of Tit-Bits and Answers in the 1890s...
- Answers (1891)
- Answers (1891)
Another Victorian chap sees his attempts at romantic conversation mercilessly shot down!
- Tit-Bits (1892)
- Tit-Bits (1892)
I don& #39;t seem to be able to let this thread die. Here& #39;s another one...
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1898)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1898)
After all these botched attempts at flirting, I feared things wouldn& #39;t end well for poor Mr Briggs....
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1897)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1897)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1891)
As romantic rejections go, this one is going to be difficult to top...
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1891)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1891)
Yet ANOTHER variation on the theme of romantic rejection. I’m beginning to think that Victorian joke writers must have been particularly unlucky in love...
- Tit-Bits (1901)
- Tit-Bits (1901)
There are *so many* of these jokes in which Victorian women cut amorous men down to size. In this one she even gets his name wrong!
- Tit-Bits (1901)
- Tit-Bits (1901)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
Another Victorian joke in which a male suitor gets comically rebuffed by a young lady. There’s seemly no end to the genre!
- Tit-Bits (1901)
- Tit-Bits (1901)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
More Victorian advice on how to deal with the unwanted advances of aspiring male suitors!
- Pearson’s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson’s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
If you& #39;re wondering what happened to these Victorian men after their romantic advances were rejected, I think I& #39;ve found the answer... https://twitter.com/DigiVictorian/status/1017390771329171456">https://twitter.com/DigiVicto...
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
I& #39;m afraid that these sick Victorian burns didn& #39;t end after marriage...
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1895)
I still can& #39;t bring myself to let this thread die. Another delicious put-down from a witty Victorian lady!
- Rare Bits (1882)
- Rare Bits (1882)
Brutal.
--------
He: "He& #39;s a wonderful mindreader. He told me everything in my mind in four or five minutes."
She: "Yes - a fine mindreader - but slow."
- & #39;Men, Women and Mirth& #39; (1909)
--------
He: "He& #39;s a wonderful mindreader. He told me everything in my mind in four or five minutes."
She: "Yes - a fine mindreader - but slow."
- & #39;Men, Women and Mirth& #39; (1909)
She: "You& #39;ve been making love to some other girl."
He: "How do you know?"
She: "Because you& #39;ve improved so."
- & #39;Men, Women and Mirth& #39; (1909)
He: "How do you know?"
She: "Because you& #39;ve improved so."
- & #39;Men, Women and Mirth& #39; (1909)
Frankly, this bizare attempt at flirting got everything it deserved. What kind of response was he hoping for?!
- Rare Bits (1882)
- Rare Bits (1882)
This cartoon is from the 1930s rather than Victorian, but it fits the theme!
The Bore (dramatically): “Picture the jungle by night - the prowling lion in search of prey, and me lying a few feet away.”
The Bored: “Quite! No need to picture the last part. I can HEAR you.”
The Bore (dramatically): “Picture the jungle by night - the prowling lion in search of prey, and me lying a few feet away.”
The Bored: “Quite! No need to picture the last part. I can HEAR you.”
Not Victorian, but definitely a sick burn!
“Did you see that man I was with? He’s Louis the Sixteenth.”
“Is he, dear? I knew he was your sixteenth, but I didn’t know his name was Louis!”
- The Humorist (1924)
“Did you see that man I was with? He’s Louis the Sixteenth.”
“Is he, dear? I knew he was your sixteenth, but I didn’t know his name was Louis!”
- The Humorist (1924)
Another entry to this never ending thread, this time courtesy of @CathianneX!
- ‘Woman at Home’ magazine (1893)
- ‘Woman at Home’ magazine (1893)
I don& #39;t think this thread of Victorian burns is ever going to end...
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1896)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1896)
- Pearson& #39;s Weekly (1896)
This joke is rather over-written (even by Victorian standards), but there& #39;s another savage burn buried in there!
- Answers (1889)
- Answers (1889)
"Good night, and goodbye, Miss Annabel. I leave here tomorrow morning early."
"Oh, Mr. Du Fere, I *am* so sorry."
"Indeed. You are very kind. I had no idea that—"
"No, of course not. I mean we shall have no one to laugh at when you have gone."
- Fun For All (1880)
"Oh, Mr. Du Fere, I *am* so sorry."
"Indeed. You are very kind. I had no idea that—"
"No, of course not. I mean we shall have no one to laugh at when you have gone."
- Fun For All (1880)
This deliciously withering expression is how I imagine *all* of these Victorian burn jokes being delivered.
This thread of Victorian burns is getting *very* long, but here’s another addition: https://twitter.com/victorianhumour/status/1159065937741582336?s=21">https://twitter.com/victorian...
Wow.
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😬" title="Grimacing face" aria-label="Emoji: Grimacing face">
- Answers magazine (1905)
- Answers magazine (1905)
Oops! I should’ve posted this joke here in the endless thread of Victorian burns.
https://twitter.com/victorianhumour/status/1248248229767999490?s=21">https://twitter.com/victorian... https://twitter.com/VictorianHumour/status/1248248229767999490">https://twitter.com/Victorian...
https://twitter.com/victorianhumour/status/1248248229767999490?s=21">https://twitter.com/victorian... https://twitter.com/VictorianHumour/status/1248248229767999490">https://twitter.com/Victorian...