The History and Social Impact of the Circus “Freak Show” Since it's humble beginning in the mid 16th century, the circus and “freak show” act has been entertaining and horrifying people to this day; however, in today’s ultra-sensitive society, how has the classic “freak show” evolved to be deemed acceptable and be used to promote acceptance and positive views of people with abnormalities, rather than viewing these people as “freaks”, as was the original purpose of the classic “freak show”? Popularized in the mid-16th century, the circus freak show became a common pastime in England. People with deformities and disabilities began being treated less as humans, and more as sources of interest and entrainment, and the crowds would gather to see these people exhibited. A notable early display was that of conjoined twins Lazarus and Johannes Baptista Colloredo. As described by History Magazine, “Lazarus was thought to be quite handsome, appearing otherwise perfectly healthy, but for his conjoined twin brother. Joannes Baptista protruded, upside down, from his brother’s chest. He was significantly smaller than Lazarus, and only his upper body and left leg visibly extended from his brother’s torso” (Strange and Bizarre:). Based off this description it is no wonder why the brothers became a popular exhibition at the court of King Charles I. Though the “freak show” was initially a display for the upper class, it would not take long for people to see the profitability of these acts.
Throughout the story there is circus imagery, which is significant to the story in several ways. A circus is commonly known for being the entertainment for a large group of people and is also characterized by a variety of acts and events designed to arouse the awe and fascination of the crowds. The young African-American men in the story are forced to participate in a variety of events designed for the sole purpose of entertaining the crowd of white men. This is effective because it is very compelling in the way whites used to treat blacks. They looked at them such as "circus animals" and felt empowered to do whatever they wanted, making them look like clowns.
Society is not what it used to be, back then people actually we're entertained by their entertainment; today we just result to our entertainment because it is so effortless. Today's society is too lazy and bored to realize that there's better ways to be amused than by watching, reading, or talking about worthless things, such as the things found in today's entertainment, like Kim Kardashian's new Botox
Monsters on the Inside: The Cause and Effects on the Insane Asylum According to the famous English designer, Robert Welch, “The whole country is one vast insane asylum and they’re letting the worst patients run the place.” Insane asylums in the 1920’s were ran by monsters but defined the patients as the monsters. Anyone who had a mental or physical disability was thrown into an insane asylum. In the 1920’s insane asylums were crucial, the hospitals had extreme rules, ghastly treatments, and horrific restraints.
Freak shows ceased to exist because it came to be morally questionable, exploiting and dehumanizing to the performers. Attending freakshows became socially inadmissible. The twenty-first century, the “unusual” body as entertainment has gone from a spectacle to a private viewing. Media and entertainment are predominantly consumed through television and the internet, which can be enjoyed from the comfort of one’s own home. This brings the idea of “guilty pleasure,” allowing people to enjoy questionable content in private, free from humiliation or judgment. Reality television has gone beyond the extent American Horror Story has. Rather than reflecting on the history of the freak show, reality shows have brought the freak show back to life in
Sperber, Murray. Beer and Circus: How Big-time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education. New York: H. Holt, 2001. Print.
Firstly, the circus shown in Chapter 22 is not unlike those commonplace in the mid-nineteenth century. Lots of horses, dancing ladies who look “like the most loveliest parasol,” clowns, the list could be quite long. Thus, the audience is most likely a very standard audience with no one to special or unique, just some people from town. So, when possibly the most elaborate stunt of all, which will be called the Drunk Man’s Horse and Suit Stunt, ensues, and the majority of the audience members believe the man to actually be a drunk spectator, suspicion falls onto the onlookers. The occurrence is described in great detail: “And by-and-by a drunk man tried to get into the ring-said
Dan and Chris were so excited, they were going to “Barlow’s Great North American Circus” the circus has just come to their town of Smyrna. “Chris we have to go we are going to be late the circus opens at 6:00 and its 5:30” Dan said franticly. “Calm down Dan, the circus is only 15 minutes away from here” Chris said. As Dan and Chris got on their bikes and started riding to the circus, Dan was thinking about how scared he was of elephants. “You okay Dan, you seem kind of flustered” Chris said in a concerned tone. “I’m fine let’s just get there okay” Dan said sternly.
It is nearly impossible to look at the field that holds the remains of the Circus Maximus and understand what it once held without the aid of a vivid reconstruction. The remains of Circus Maximus lie in the Valley between the Aventine and Palentine hill. Traditionally, the history of the Circus Maximus began with chariot races held in honor of the God Consus in a less permanent structure in the area near Consus’s altar. In later years, this lead to the construction of a circus under the first Etruscan king, Tarquinius Priscus around 600 bc. Previous to Tarquin’s intervention, an underground stream kept the valley swamp like. Tarquin diverted the water and drained the area and began to hold chariot races in the area. The
Caesars Entertainment has rebranded, refreshed and reimagined worn properties in North Lake Tahoe, Tahoe South, and Reno. “While casinos still have gaming, it’s not the primary focus,” says Mike Frye, event & media relations manager for Lake Tahoe. (Robertson 2015) They have built convention as well as have recreation such as skiing. Caesars Entertainment planned over twenty-five million dollars in renovations to bring guests into the property.
Circus is a travelling show that is often performed in a tent that includes trained animals, clowns , acrobats and other stunts performers. All of these performers needed to practise hard and as best as they can to make the show run smoothly , safetly and entertaining. As if they make a mistake, it could ruin their performance in any ways.
Ever since its national appearance little girls are coiffed, heavily made-up, sprayed with tanning lotion, lathered in sequins and poured into showgirl outfits. They prance about the stage, with music telling them to “Work it, own it”. The film exposes how cruel and unreasonable the process actually is. Prepubescent girls are trained to compete as sex dolls. Who knows how will this affect these children in the long run and what does it say about the society that invents and promotes such psychologically damaging
The life of a circus animal is hard and demanding. It is not an acceptable way of life for an animal. Circuses would quickly lose their appeal if the public were more aware of their mistreatments of these animals. Many circuses do not have much money and as a result the animals suffer from inadequate care. These animals spend most of their time in small cages used for transportation. The Animal Welfare Act provides cage requirements, but many circuses fail to follow this law. Even the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circus was cited for 65 violations over a two-year period according to Florence Lambert. When traveling, animals spend hours, even days between sites in confinement..
Circus performers are people of great courage. They have to make a living out of entertaining people that pay good money to watch them and want to get their money's worth. They have a lot of pressure from that, as well as peer pressure from their fellow performers. Not only do they have pressure from that, they have to worry about the very acts being preformed from playing with swords and fire to hanging from a wire hundreds of feet in the air. If their not focused on what they are doing, they can be killed in a instant.
Animals have been a main focus in circus performances around the world for many centuries; however, in recent history, there have been far more regulations put on the use of these creatures, stemming mainly from how they are treated by both their trainers and the circus as a whole. Whether it be on the federal or local and state-level, there has been a definite increase in the questionable legality of America’s circus industry due to the neglect and abuse of the participating animals, courts’ decisions highlighting the true importance of the issue. These rulings make one ask the question: What types of regulations could be put in place in all circuses to ensure that the animals involved are not abused in the process? In the end, many
In the mid sixteenth century Giovanni Battista della Porta (1538-1615) made a huge "camera" in which he seated his guests, having arranged a group of actors to perform outside so that the visitors could watch the images on the wall. But the sight of upside down performing images was too much for the visitors and they panicked and fled, and Battista was brought to court on a charge of sorcery!