Universal Themes in The Elephant Man

Joshua Steele
September 24, 2012
English 115
Professor Macklin

Universal Themes in The Elephant Man

    In Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man, we are introduced to John Merrick, a physically disabled man who is exploited as a form of entertainment before being rescued by Dr. Frederick Treves, a surgeon who wishes to research Merrick, who is also known as “the Elephant Man” (Pomerance 3). As the years pass, Merrick becomes a celebrity and is visited by the British royal family and others until his sudden death from asphyxiation. The themes that are prevalent in the play are the treatment of the disabled and nationalism and racism. These themes are significant, because they are largely universal themes that are still encountered today.
    In the 19th century, disabled people were viewed as pitiful individuals whose only “contribution” to society was to entertain the public at circuses and carnivals, which is shown in the play when Ross refers to him as, “…This freak of nature, the Elephant Man” (Pomerance 3).  Disabled people were also forcibly sterilized and required to enter institutions or asylums, where they lived for the rest of their lives. This is shown in the play when Ross, John Merrick’s manager, tells Dr. Treves, “Sir, I’m Ross. I look out for him, get him his living. Found him in Leicester workhouse. His own ma put him there age of three. Couldn’t bear the sight, well you can see why” (Pomerance 4). The British workhouses provided a place for poor people to live if they were unable to support themselves, but were seen as “bastilles” by leftist critics (Beneath the Surface: A Country of Two Nations). In many ways, the history of the disabled in Britain is parallel to the history of the disabled in the United States.
     In the 19th century in the United States, disabled people were also viewed as a pitiful form of entertainment. This changed during the 20th century, when World War I and World War II caused many Americans to change their view of the disabled. Beginning in the 1960s, many disabled people and their parents began pressing for major changes, such as the closure of institutions and asylums and the integration of disabled children into schools that would meet their needs and allow them to thrive. Due to pressure from disability rights activists, Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, which were signed into law by Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, respectively. In 1990, due to pressure from disability rights activists to create a national civil rights law for the disabled, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush (Anti-Defamation League).
    The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibited discrimination against the disabled in the federal government, while the Education for All Handicapped Children Act protected the rights of disabled children in public schools. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against the disabled in the areas of education, housing, and public accommodations, among other aspects (Anti-Defamation League).  Regarding the treatment of the disabled, I am also influenced by my own experience; since I have Asperger’s and attended a school for students with Asperger’s and high-functioning autism.  In addition, the play is written in a way that encourages people to question how the disabled are treated by society at large, both in the past and the present. Another theme that is quite common in The Elephant Man is racism and nationalism.
    In the Victorian era, racism and nationalism was pervasive and viewed as socially acceptable, whether in public or private. One of the most prominent examples of racism in The Elephant Man is when the pinheads in Brussels are singing, “We are the Queens of the Congo, The Beautiful Belgian Empire our niggers are bigger our miners are finer. Empire, Empire, Congo and power. Civilizuzu’s finest hour. Admire, perspire, desire, acquire. Or we’ll set you on fire!” (Pomerance 10). In addition to showing that racism was widely accepted during the Victorian era, this quote also shows that racism as a form of entertainment was widely accepted. Another example of nationalism and racism is when Miss Sandwich, the nurse, tells Dr. Treves, “In Africa, I have seen dreadful scourges quite unknown to our more civilized climes. What at home could be worse than a miserable and afflicted rotting black?” (Pomerance 17). Despite these examples, the occurrence of racism and nationalism is not the most common theme in the play. However, racism and nationalism were quite common during the Victorian era for several reasons.
    During the Victorian era, the United Kingdom and other European countries were colonizing Africa, Asia, and Oceania at a rapid and aggressive pace. A common quote at the time was, “The sun never sets on the British Empire,” which was modified from an original quote that read, “On her dominion the sun never sets” (The British Empire). However, critics of the British Empire further modified the quote to create the commonly known phrase, “The sun never sets on the greed, cruelty, and bigotry of the British Empire.” The British and other Europeans believed that Africans were subhuman, due to their reliance on agriculture, lack of a “Western style” government, and traditional religious beliefs. These characteristics of the Victorian era are important, because they influence the thoughts and opinions of the characters in The Elephant Man.
    In conclusion, two of the prominent themes in The Elephant Man are the treatment of the disabled and racism and nationalism. In the 19th century, disabled people were viewed as pitiful and unable to contribute to society. Many disabled were also forcibly sterilized and required to live in asylums or institutions for the rest of their lives. The treatment of the disabled began to change after World War I and World War II as veterans returned home with physical disabilities. Starting in the 1960s and 1970s, disabled people and their allies began pushing for an end to institutions and asylums, the right to an education, and the right to live freely without the fear of discrimination. During the Victorian era, racism and nationalism was quite prevalent in the United Kingdom and other “Western” nations, where Africans and Asians were viewed as subhuman, due to their reliance on agriculture, their lack of a “Western” style government, and their traditional religious beliefs.

Works Cited

1. “A Brief History of the Disability Rights Movement.” Anti-Defamation League. Anti-Defamation League, 2005. Web. September 15, 2012.
2. “Beneath the Surface: A Country of Two Nations.” BBC History. BBC, 2011. Web. September 18, 2012.
3. Pomerance, Bernard. The Elephant Man. New York, New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1979. Print.
4. “The British Empire.” Caledonian Mercury October 15, 1821: 4. Print.

Summary and Analysis of The Elephant Man

Joshua Steele
September 17, 2012
English 115
Professor Macklin

Summary and Analysis of The Elephant Man

    In Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man, we are introduced to John Merrick, a physically disabled man who is exploited as a form of entertainment before being rescued by Dr. Frederick Treves, a surgeon who wishes to research Merrick, who is also known as “the Elephant Man” (Pomerance 3). As the years pass, Merrick becomes a celebrity and is visited by the British royal family and an actress until his sudden death from asphyxiation. The themes that are prevalent in the play are the treatment of the disabled, nationalism and racism, and the ethics of medical research.
    In the 19th century, disabled people were viewed as pitiful individuals whose only “contribution” to society was to entertain the public at circuses and carnivals, which is shown in the play when Ross refers to him as, “…This freak of nature, the Elephant Man” (Pomerance 3).  Disabled people were also forcibly sterilized and required to enter institutions or asylums, where they lived for the rest of their lives. In the 20th century, World War I and World War II caused many Americans to change their view of the disabled. Beginning in the 1960s, many disabled people and their parents began pressing for major changes, such as the closure of institutions and asylums and the integration of disabled children into schools that would meet their needs and allow them to thrive. Due to pressure from disability rights activists, Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, which were signed into law by Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, respectively. In 1990, due to pressure from disability rights activists to create a national civil rights law for the disabled, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush (Anti-Defamation League). Regarding the treatment of the disabled, I am also influenced by my own experience; since I have Asperger’s and attended a school for students with Asperger’s and high-functioning autism.  In addition, the play is written in a way that encourages people to question how the disabled are treated by society at large, both in the past and the present. Another theme that is quite common in The Elephant Man is racism and nationalism.
    In the Victorian era, racism and nationalism was pervasive and viewed as socially acceptable, whether in public or private. One of the most prominent examples of racism is when the pinheads in Brussels are singing, “We are the Queens of the Congo, The Beautiful Belgian Empire our niggers are bigger our miners are finer. Empire, Empire, Congo and power. Civilizuzu’s finest hour. Admire, perspire, desire, acquire. Or we’ll set you on fire!” (Pomerance 10). In addition to showing that racism was widely accepted during the Victorian era, this quote also shows that racism as a form of entertainment was widely accepted. Another example of nationalism and racism is when Miss Sandwich, the nurse, tells Dr. Treves, “In Africa, I have seen dreadful scourges quite unknown to our more civilized climes. What at home could be worse than a miserable and afflicted rotting black?” (Pomerance 17). During the Victorian era, the United Kingdom and other European countries were colonizing Africa, Asia, and Oceania at a rapid and aggressive pace. A common quote at the time was, “The sun never sets on the British Empire,” which was modified from a original quote that read, “On her dominion the sun never sets” (The British Empire). However, critics of the British Empire further modified the quote to create the commonly known phrase, “The sun never sets on the greed, cruelty, and bigotry of the British Empire.”

Works Cited

 1. “A Brief History of the Disability Rights Movement.” Anti-Defamation League. Anti-Defamation League, 2005. Web. September 15, 2012.
2. Pomerance, Bernard. The Elephant Man. New York, New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1979. Print.
3. “The British Empire.” Caledonian Mercury October 15, 1821: 4. Print.

English 115 Letter to Friend or Family Member

Dear Harriet,
    In my English 115 class, we have been reading and analyzing Bernard Pomerance’s play, The Elephant Man. The play is about John Merrick, a physically disabled man who is exploited as a sideshow attraction in Victorian London before being rescued by Dr. Frederick Treves, a compassionate young doctor at the London Hospital. Dr. Treves wants to observe John Merrick, who is also known as the elephant man, for research purposes. John Merrick is allowed to live at the London Hospital, where he becomes a celebrity who is admired by the wealthy and powerful. Also, the hospital uses John Merrick to raise money until his sudden death from asphyxiation. In the play, there are several themes that remind me of life today, such as the treatment of the disabled.
    From the beginning of time until the twentieth century, the disabled have largely been viewed as objects of entertainment or pity and unable to live a “normal” life. In the past few decades, the status of disabled people has risen tremendously, and several disabled people have become world renowned for their contributions to society. One person who has been able to overcome her disability in order to become renowned is Temple Grandin. Temple Grandin is autistic and has used her experience with autism to become an autism advocate, animal scientist, and animal rights advocate. Another prominent individual who is disabled is Stephen Hawking. Hawking, a theoretical physicist, has a disorder that is similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which requires him to use a wheelchair and talk through a synthesizer. Today, many people believe that disabled people are capable of accomplishing whatever they set their mind to and that their life should not be limited by their disability. Another theme in the play that relates to modern life is racism and nationalism.
    In The Elephant Man, racism and nationalism is quite common in the earlier scenes. In the Victorian era, the United Kingdom and other European countries were aggressively colonizing new territories in Africa and Asia. The British and other countries believed that it was ‘God’s will’ to colonize and ‘civilize’ Africa and Asia with Christianity, Western culture, and modern medicine. African and Asian colonies were also exploitable, due to the widespread availability of natural resources that could not be found in Europe. At this time, a commonly used British phrase was, “The sun never sets on the British Empire,” which was based on the fact that the United Kingdom had colonies across the world. This phrase was revised by opponents of racism and colonialism to state that, “The sun never sets on the greed, cruelty, and bigotry of the British Empire.” Since the 1950s, the former colonies of the United Kingdom and other countries have become independent nations, while racism is widely viewed as hateful and unacceptable in today’s multicultural world.
    In conclusion, I highly encourage you to read The Elephant Man, since I think that you will enjoy it.

Love,
Joshua

English 115 Letter to Author

September 10, 2012
Dear Mr. Pomerance,
    I read your play, The Elephant Man, which I enjoyed. I am writing to you with my thoughts regarding the play. One factor of the play that caught my attention was that it is a mix of fiction and non-fiction, as opposed to a biography, which relies entirely upon facts and history. In my opinion, the fact that your play is mix of fiction and non-fiction makes it challenging to create historically accurate characters. I was also surprised to find a disclaimer before the play, which states that, “No one with any history of back trouble should attempt the part of Merrick as contorted. Anyone playing the part of Merrick should be advised to consult a physician about the problems of sustaining any unnatural or twisted position.” It is not very common to see an author’s disclaimer at the beginning of a play, but then again, it is not very common for the main character of a play to be physically disabled. Another aspect of the play that caught my attention is the fact that it is written in the grammatical style of the 1880s, despite the fact that your play was published almost a century after the events in it occurred. Since I am very interested in history and politics, I noted that jingoism and racism are quite prevalent in the play’s earlier scenes. However, my observations about the play are not limited to these aspects.
    I also noticed that some of your characters don’t have first or last names that are revealed to the audience. One example is that Ross does not seem to have a last name, while Mrs. Kendal and Miss Sandwich don’t seem to have a first name. I think that Mrs. Kendal was able to relate to John Merrick, in part because of her skills as an actress. In her mind, the world is a stage and everybody else is her audience. In addition, I wonder what motivated her to take off her clothes for John Merrick. Perhaps she sees it as doing a favor for a friend, or perhaps she is emotionally attracted to him. Last but not least, I wonder whether John Merrick died from complications related to his physical disability, or whether he committed suicide. It is possible that he believed his life was no longer worth living, perhaps due to depression.
Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,
Joshua Steele

Exercise 1, Progression 1 Summary and Reconstruction

Joshua Steele
September 5, 2012
English 115
Professor Macklin

                                Exercise 1, Progression 1 Summary and Reconstruction

    In Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man, we are first introduced to Dr. Frederick Treves, a young doctor who is starting at his new job at the London Hospital in 1884. His boss, Mr. Gomm, tells him that he should not have high expectations for his job and that he will receive 100 guinea fees once he turns 40. In the next scene, we are introduced to the other main character, John Merrick, who is also known as “The Elephant Man,” due to his unusual physical disability (Pomerance 3). Merrick is approached by Dr. Treves, who would like to “examine him in the interests of science” (Pomerance 4). John Merrick decides to live at London Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Treves after he is robbed in Brussels, Belgium by Ross, his cruel and exploitative manager. Years later, John has become a prestigious resident at the London Hospital, where he is visited by actors, actresses, the nobility, and the royal family. However, John Merrick’s fame comes from the fact that the hospital uses him in order to raise money from wealthy donors. At the end, John Merrick dies of asphyxiation, which is brought on by his physical disability.





Works Cited
1. Pomerance, Bernard. The Elephant Man. New York, New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1979. Print.