February 5, 2021 ▸ History, People

Episode 555: Joseph Merrick–The Elephant Man

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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at one of the all-time fascinating medical cases, the story of Joseph Merrick–The Elephant Man. Due to a hardcore medical condition, Merrick was deformed beyond recognition as a human being, with a massive head, huge protrusions all over his body, and even skin lesions that smelled. Add a dash of Victorian superstitions, and you have a man who was destined for misery at every turn.

None of us are likely to have heard of him if it wasn’t for a world famous play and then a movie called The Elephant Man, but his story is one of sorrow, perseverance, and a surprisingly happy ending. The narrative in those fictions has some truth to it, but the real story varies quite a bit. What we know about him is that he wasn’t born like this. As a young child, he started to get deformities that only increased up till the day he died.

His family eventually kicked him out, and even the work he could do got taken away once he was too deformed to perform skilled labor. By then, he was destined for the freak show. For a while, he made some money at this, but as tastes changed, they ran him out of town. If not for the friendship of Doctor Frederick Treves, his life would have ended with him on the street. But instead, he died with good medical care, surrounded by those who came to love him.

So, what was the actual condition that caused this? What happened to him in his freak show days? How did he make it back to London after being abandoned in Europe? How did he die? What happened when he met Princess Alexandra? Listen, laugh, learn.

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.biography.com/news/elephant-man-joseph-merrick-biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Merrick

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-48149855

https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-elephant-mans-bones-reveal-mystery-2860454

https://www.history.com/news/elephant-man-joseph-merrick-grave-discovery