10. He wrote in his autobiography, “You could indeed exhibit anything in those days. “The Elephant Man” is an award-winning play which is based on the real-life experiences of John Merrick, who lived from 1862-1890. It speaks of David Lynch’s absolute discipline that his first Oscar-bait feature didn’t opt for a hokey or crowd-pleasing ending. His life was brief and tragic, marred by loss, rejection, and an ever worsening disfigurement. The play is divided into twenty-one scenes that depict the last six years of Merrick’s life. It was not the show, it was the tale that you told.” Wikimedia Commons Joseph Merrick, “The Elephant Man” made a living as a freak show performer in Victorian London. Needless to say, there are dozens of sad facts about the man and his life to choose from, but here are 10 of the saddest. Although based on the same title and historical figures as David Lynch 's The Elephant Man (1980), that movie avoided using this 1979 play as a source, going instead to primary sources and medical histories. The Tragic Tale Of Joseph Merrick, “The Elephant Man” Who Just Wanted To Be Like Everybody Else A still-unexplained condition caused the deformities that transformed Joseph Merrick into Victorian England's famous Elephant Man. London surgeon Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) ventures into the darkest, clankiest, smokiest parts of the East End to view the Elephant Man (John Hurt), whose physical appearance in … The fifth blind man felt the elephant's giant ear. Anthony Hopkins plays Doctor Frederick Treves who discovers John Merrick (John Hurt) known as the Elephant Man in a freakshow. The fourth blind man touched one of the elephant's four legs. That’s how most of us think of Joseph Merrick — … Discussion of themes and motifs in Bernard Pomerance's The Elephant Man. Born Joseph Carey Merrick on August 5, 1862, the Elephant Man is far better known by his freak name. Norman is portrayed in David Lynch’s 1980 film The Elephant Man as a cruel drunk who beat Joseph. A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. While Dr. Treves’s The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences backs up this opinion, Norman always denied it. Most people know the rest of the story from the 1980 movie, The Elephant Man, starring John Hurt: how, at first, a doctor, then others including royalty, came to see the intelligent, sensitive man behind the grotesque deformities. Like a circus animal, The Elephant Man is kept in a cage and is regularly beaten by his “owners”. The movie really emphasizes how Merrick was exploited throughout his life because of his deformities. List of The Elephant Man characters, including pictures when available. People have been moved by the universal message of tolerance of the differences found in Joseph Merrick's story. These characters from the movie The Elephant Man are listed by their importance to the film, so leading roles can be found at the top of the list. Merrick lived in London during the latter part of the nineteenth century, which is known as the Victorian Period. eNotes critical analyses help you gain a deeper understanding of The Elephant Man … "What we have here," he said, "is an extremely large cow." Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a … "I believe an elephant is like a huge fan or maybe a magic carpet that can fly over mountains and treetops," he said. It wasn’t just in the Freakshow however. The story is one of humanity emerging out of exploitation. Exhibit anything in those days emphasizes how Merrick was exploited throughout his life was and..., who lived from 1862-1890 of David Lynch ’ s the Elephant in! 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