The Elephant Man The Weird & Tragic Story of Joseph Merrick
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Date: 2022-12-29
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Comments and reviews: 19
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I've been obsessed with him since I was about 8 years old, (so much so that my family picks on me about it, and my sister even made a little tune out of his name and sings it to me at random times for the sole purpose of upsetting me and to make me cry. for shits and giggles, and I desperately wished I could have married him (and NOT out of some do-gooder motivation/mentality, nor out of pity. To this day, I celebrate his birthday, day of death, and had gotten to the point 8 or 9 years ago that I can no longer watch The Elephant Man ( the beautifully acted 1980 movie version, despite it being one of my favorite movies growing up. Despite it being a dramatization of his life that wasn't fully accurate by any means. it just sends me into histrionics and uncontrollable sobbing, that leaves me deeply saddened for days.
I really don't know what my lifelong deep love for beloved Joseph Merrick is based out of, or why I do, and have always, cared for a person I have never met, never lived on the same continent as, and in fact wasn't even alive during the same century as. and why him, out of so many other tragic people, in any time in history. Yet I just feel such a deep love and connection with him, despite having not so much as a wit in common with him, or his life experience.
I really like to think that he would be so pleased and given some small sense of peace and comfort, if he knew how different (in certain respects) the world is now, that he would have much more respect and affection from many more people as a whole, at this point in society, and how fondly he is regarded by so many. And that he absolutely could find love, affection, and companionship with a woman had he been living during this time in history (and she wouldn't even have to be blind, because while I cannot speak for others, and cannot say how many other women in the world would have been genuinely interested in him romantically, (with pure motives) at any point. I can say undoubtedly that at the very least, there's one (myself. (As long as he put the toilet seat down after going to the bathroom, and didn't hog the remote)
Though I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm sure there's others out there who would be truly interested in him romantically. The biggest reason being his kind, humble, and gentle heart.
Always in my heart, Mr. Merrick
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I've been obsessed with him since I was about 8 years old, (so much so that my family picks on me about it, and my sister even made a little tune out of his name and sings it to me at random times for the sole purpose of upsetting me and to make me cry. for shits and giggles, and I desperately wished I could have married him (and NOT out of some do-gooder motivation/mentality, nor out of pity. To this day, I celebrate his birthday, day of death, and had gotten to the point 8 or 9 years ago that I can no longer watch The Elephant Man ( the beautifully acted 1980 movie version, despite it being one of my favorite movies growing up. Despite it being a dramatization of his life that wasn't fully accurate by any means. it just sends me into histrionics and uncontrollable sobbing, that leaves me deeply saddened for days.
I really don't know what my lifelong deep love for beloved Joseph Merrick is based out of, or why I do, and have always, cared for a person I have never met, never lived on the same continent as, and in fact wasn't even alive during the same century as. and why him, out of so many other tragic people, in any time in history. Yet I just feel such a deep love and connection with him, despite having not so much as a wit in common with him, or his life experience.
I really like to think that he would be so pleased and given some small sense of peace and comfort, if he knew how different (in certain respects) the world is now, that he would have much more respect and affection from many more people as a whole, at this point in society, and how fondly he is regarded by so many. And that he absolutely could find love, affection, and companionship with a woman had he been living during this time in history (and she wouldn't even have to be blind, because while I cannot speak for others, and cannot say how many other women in the world would have been genuinely interested in him romantically, (with pure motives) at any point. I can say undoubtedly that at the very least, there's one (myself. (As long as he put the toilet seat down after going to the bathroom, and didn't hog the remote)
Though I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm sure there's others out there who would be truly interested in him romantically. The biggest reason being his kind, humble, and gentle heart.
Always in my heart, Mr. Merrick
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Chef
I love Joseph Merrick so much.
Despite being abused, taunted, and humiliated his entire life, it did not make him bitter or resentful.
Instead he was kind, intelligent, gentle, and a great writer/artist apparently. Not a monster at all, but the same cannot be said about the people who mistreated him; they are the only monsters that exist in this story.
He tried everything he could to live a normal life. At least his last years alive were probably the best he ever experienced. Being in the care of people who wanted to look after him, going on holidays and attending a theater.
I love the old photograph of Joseph in a black suit, its nice seeing him in refined clothing and that he got to experience the kindness of others in some way during his life. He deserved to be happy.
I know David Lynchs movie adaptation of his life isnt the most accurate as far as a biography, but the deeply upsetting scene where Josephs room is invaded with people being paid to see him in addition to the train station scene makes me bawl like crazy. Not out of pity, but out of anger that anyone would dare lay a hand on him when he has done nothing wrong.
I have so much respect for Joseph Merrick and it makes me feel embarrassed that my insecurities are so petty in comparison to what he experienced.
Everyone, please be kind to each other. Dont judge people on how they look, but how they treat the people around them.
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I love Joseph Merrick so much.
Despite being abused, taunted, and humiliated his entire life, it did not make him bitter or resentful.
Instead he was kind, intelligent, gentle, and a great writer/artist apparently. Not a monster at all, but the same cannot be said about the people who mistreated him; they are the only monsters that exist in this story.
He tried everything he could to live a normal life. At least his last years alive were probably the best he ever experienced. Being in the care of people who wanted to look after him, going on holidays and attending a theater.
I love the old photograph of Joseph in a black suit, its nice seeing him in refined clothing and that he got to experience the kindness of others in some way during his life. He deserved to be happy.
I know David Lynchs movie adaptation of his life isnt the most accurate as far as a biography, but the deeply upsetting scene where Josephs room is invaded with people being paid to see him in addition to the train station scene makes me bawl like crazy. Not out of pity, but out of anger that anyone would dare lay a hand on him when he has done nothing wrong.
I have so much respect for Joseph Merrick and it makes me feel embarrassed that my insecurities are so petty in comparison to what he experienced.
Everyone, please be kind to each other. Dont judge people on how they look, but how they treat the people around them.
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blackwolf085
His condition isn't unknown to this day. It's known. It's one of the rarest genetic conditions and it's called Proteus Syndrome. It was identified as a condition in 1979 and there have been around 200 people since then who were medically identified with the condition.
Maybe do a bit of research before saying things that align with the same sideshow vernacular that Joseph despised and tried to escape.
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His condition isn't unknown to this day. It's known. It's one of the rarest genetic conditions and it's called Proteus Syndrome. It was identified as a condition in 1979 and there have been around 200 people since then who were medically identified with the condition.
Maybe do a bit of research before saying things that align with the same sideshow vernacular that Joseph despised and tried to escape.
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Cordelia
For all the people who feel like giving up but yet don't have any thing wrong with them this man had such a tragic life that he had the biggest reasons to give up but he didn't he tried to make use of his disability I don't know anyone else that would do that. He was the brave and strong! I bet all the people who tormented him wouldn't last a day in his life!
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For all the people who feel like giving up but yet don't have any thing wrong with them this man had such a tragic life that he had the biggest reasons to give up but he didn't he tried to make use of his disability I don't know anyone else that would do that. He was the brave and strong! I bet all the people who tormented him wouldn't last a day in his life!
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Bobby
His penis and scrotom were also normal sized and unremarkable. Out of the few places on his body that had to be normal sized instead of massive. He would make a great career as a pornstar nowadays if he did have an abnormally large penis and scrotom. He would be called Frankencock.
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His penis and scrotom were also normal sized and unremarkable. Out of the few places on his body that had to be normal sized instead of massive. He would make a great career as a pornstar nowadays if he did have an abnormally large penis and scrotom. He would be called Frankencock.
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Narciscynic
Why are Victorian insults so brutal? The most disgusting specimen of humanity that I have ever seen. At no time had I met with such a degraded or perverted version of a human being as this lone figure displayed is such a needlessly descriptive way to call someone ugly.
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Why are Victorian insults so brutal? The most disgusting specimen of humanity that I have ever seen. At no time had I met with such a degraded or perverted version of a human being as this lone figure displayed is such a needlessly descriptive way to call someone ugly.
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Halloween111
Sadly, the methods used at the time to preserve his skeleton fragmented the DNA that remained to the point where it could tell anyone much about what may have been behind his deformity. There were soft tissue samples preserved, but they were blown up in the Blitz.
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Sadly, the methods used at the time to preserve his skeleton fragmented the DNA that remained to the point where it could tell anyone much about what may have been behind his deformity. There were soft tissue samples preserved, but they were blown up in the Blitz.
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Chris
. bro would love to have a few cans of Jim Beam with ya in the future. cant wait man!
. smoke some marijuana and talk about your models you make - bro thats talent they look wicked wish i had one
. rest easy bro see ya soon
from New Zealand
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. bro would love to have a few cans of Jim Beam with ya in the future. cant wait man!
. smoke some marijuana and talk about your models you make - bro thats talent they look wicked wish i had one
. rest easy bro see ya soon
from New Zealand
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Phantom04
Its horrifying how cruel human beings can be to one another. This was a person, a fellow human being, who didnt deserve what he was forced to endure. Its saddening that were so capable of treating other individuals so inhumanely.
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Its horrifying how cruel human beings can be to one another. This was a person, a fellow human being, who didnt deserve what he was forced to endure. Its saddening that were so capable of treating other individuals so inhumanely.
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Theonlyonestanding
How cruel to be born this way. I would accept death than have deformities. Life is unfair sometimes. I ask God why should we suffer so much. Why can't we live a normal life and just grow old and die with dignity?
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How cruel to be born this way. I would accept death than have deformities. Life is unfair sometimes. I ask God why should we suffer so much. Why can't we live a normal life and just grow old and die with dignity?
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misterlister
That's not his death certificate. His mother was dead and he died in London. better not to include it at all rather than dishonour a random John Merrick's memory just because he died at the same age.
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That's not his death certificate. His mother was dead and he died in London. better not to include it at all rather than dishonour a random John Merrick's memory just because he died at the same age.
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Jake
Very sad. It must have been an extremely painful life, emotionally and physically, but I feel some comfort that Dr Treves gave him some measure of happiness and care in his life.
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Very sad. It must have been an extremely painful life, emotionally and physically, but I feel some comfort that Dr Treves gave him some measure of happiness and care in his life.
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John
You know how people say there's a special place in Hell for exceptionally terrible people? Hopefully there's a special place in Heaven for people like Joseph.
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You know how people say there's a special place in Hell for exceptionally terrible people? Hopefully there's a special place in Heaven for people like Joseph.
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minnie
God didn't give Joseph Merrick his physical deformities to test out his heart, he gave Joseph Merrick his physical deformities to test out yours!
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God didn't give Joseph Merrick his physical deformities to test out his heart, he gave Joseph Merrick his physical deformities to test out yours!
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bob
This shows to be grateful of literally everything and to appreciate those around us regardless of appearance and respect all as anything can happen
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This shows to be grateful of literally everything and to appreciate those around us regardless of appearance and respect all as anything can happen
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Honest
Some stories just break the heart. Why was humanity so ugly? Glad those horrid people are dead, hope they all received karma in the beyond.
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Some stories just break the heart. Why was humanity so ugly? Glad those horrid people are dead, hope they all received karma in the beyond.
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Joe
And those damn scientists poke and prod at his bones even still today. Instead of giving him the Christian burial he asked for.
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And those damn scientists poke and prod at his bones even still today. Instead of giving him the Christian burial he asked for.
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Jakub
Man we've known for a while the guys actual name was John Merrick, poor bastard didnt even get his real name in the end
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Man we've known for a while the guys actual name was John Merrick, poor bastard didnt even get his real name in the end
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DEN
this is such a sad story. i feel so sorry for Joseph Merrick. his whole life ruined and he was laughed at. poor guy: (
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this is such a sad story. i feel so sorry for Joseph Merrick. his whole life ruined and he was laughed at. poor guy: (
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