Stigma: Essay #3
email to: yoganinestudio@gmail.com
The Changing Role of Popular Media & Entertainment
Due March 9 (online)
Spring 2016
All moveables of wonder, from all parts,
Are here--Albinos, painted Indians, Dwarfs,
The Horse of knowledge, and the learned Pig,
The Stone-eater, the man that swallows fire,
Giants, Ventriloquists, the Invisible Girl,
The Bust that speaks and moves its goggling eyes,
The Wax-work, Clock-work, all the marvellous craft
Of modern Merlins, Wild Beasts, Puppet-shows,
All out-o'-the-way, far-fetched, perverted things,
All freaks of nature, all Promethean thoughts
Of man, his dulness, madness, and their feats
All jumbled up together, to compose
A Parliament of Monsters. Tents and Booths
Meanwhile, as if the whole were one vast mill,
Are vomiting, receiving on all sides,
Men, Women, three-years' Children, Babes in arms.
Are here--Albinos, painted Indians, Dwarfs,
The Horse of knowledge, and the learned Pig,
The Stone-eater, the man that swallows fire,
Giants, Ventriloquists, the Invisible Girl,
The Bust that speaks and moves its goggling eyes,
The Wax-work, Clock-work, all the marvellous craft
Of modern Merlins, Wild Beasts, Puppet-shows,
All out-o'-the-way, far-fetched, perverted things,
All freaks of nature, all Promethean thoughts
Of man, his dulness, madness, and their feats
All jumbled up together, to compose
A Parliament of Monsters. Tents and Booths
Meanwhile, as if the whole were one vast mill,
Are vomiting, receiving on all sides,
Men, Women, three-years' Children, Babes in arms.
----Wordsworth's description of Bartholomew Fair (from The Prelude, Book 7. 1805, lines 706 - 721)
The viewing of oddities has been a fascination in Western culture since the 18th century. What ways do we view human oddities today? After reading the assigned selection in Bogden and researching contemporary media. Discuss how we display “freaks” in American culture today. Consider the following:
1. What are acceptable venues and contexts for viewing and displaying freaks? How and why do these differ from those outlined in the 18th & 19th century by Bogden? (Make sure to consider as many types of media and popular entertainment that you can).
2. How are our displays similar to those we have seen throughout American history?
3. What function does the displaying of human oddities serve today? Again how is this different or similar to what we have seen Bogden portray in Freak Show?
4. Can Goffman contribute to our understanding of this phenomenon? (discuss )
No comments:
Post a Comment