"And then the Industrial Revolution.
You
know images of explosions, big explosions? They always reminded me of the papillomas, the
growths on
John Merrick's body: they looked like slow explosions that started from the bones."
Joseph Carey Merrick was an English man known for his severe
physical
deformities lived during the Victorian Era, at the end of the XIX century. Thanks to photographic
representations of the time his physical appearance and the diagnosis of his condition,
Proteus
Syndrome, became known. From childhood, he suffered from a rare disease that made his skin
spongy and
saggy. His upper lip protruded outwards, vaguely resembling a proboscis, which earned him his
nickname,
"The Elephant Man". The tumours and excrescences that cover Merrick's body make him a being
destined
for confinement in freak shows, the only place where he could be exhibited while limiting the
offensive
potential inherent in his physical constitution. When he was not performing, however, he covered his
head
with a large hat.
As recounted by his protector, Dr. Frederick Treves, in his book
The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences, he discovered the Elephant Man in a London
sideshow
and admitted him to a small room in the Royal London Hospital, where he worked. To help with
his
upkeep, Treves decided to raise public awareness, and donations began to flow in. Merrick became a
famous
person, receiving many visitors, including the renowned actress Madge Kendall.
Initially, it was thought that he had cognitive disabilities because his
shyness prevented him from expressing himself. In reality, he was intelligent and well-read, with a
love for
sentimental novels. Moreover, his artistic vein is well represented by the Mainz Cathedral Models and
his
letters. He was found dead in his bed in April 1890; his enormous head had broken his cervical
vertebrae.
The story of this figure is one of the most powerful representations of
the
inner and social conflict between a body that defied common aesthetic norms and a mind eager to
demonstrate
full belonging to the human race. For this reason, he has been the subject of many works across
different
genres: from the progressive metal song by Mastodon, the famous Broadway screenplay created by
Bernard
Pomerance,
to a cinematic masterpiece by David Lynch.
