Friday, November 18, 2005
Fairs and Circuses
Fairs
Fairs were held all over Britain from city to village green, but the first special fair of the Queen's new reign was held in Hyde Park. Every kind of article from ribbons to pies was sold. The Victorians loved the macabre and looking at freaks from fat men, fat women to the contrast of living skeletons, two headed ladies and for a time the so called Elephant man to mind reading dogs and performing horses. The crowds loved them all.
It is interesting to note the John Merrick, The Elephant Man, was one thing the various classes in Victorian times could agree on. Unfortunately for Mr. Merrick, the Victorians felt he was put on earth for their entertainment. The owner of the sideshow used him to draw crowds, the doctor who "rescued" him put him on display, the rich socialites would think it was fun to have tea with him, and the boys at the pub thought it would be fun to get him drunk.
Circus
It was during the Victorian era that the circus, whose origins lay in the fairground world, emerged as a commercialized entertainment that we would recognize today. This development was intricately tied to a widespread demand for circus acts by a broad range of classes.
The Victorian circus ring was a showcase for equestrian battle scenes, Chinese jugglers, clowns, female acrobats, and child performers. Although such acts exhibited wondrous qualities, unabashed displays of physical power, and occasionally subversive humor, they were also rendered as grotesque, lewd, or dangerous.
The consuming public’s desire to see the very kinds of displays that reformers wished to regulate put the circus establishment in a difficult position. circus, whose origins lay in the fairground world, emerged as a commercialized entertainment that we would recognize today. This development was intricately tied to a widespread demand for circus acts by a broad range of classes.
The Victorian circus ring was a showcase for equestrian battle scenes, Chinese jugglers, clowns, female acrobats, and child performers. Although such acts exhibited wondrous qualities, unabashed displays of physical power, and occasionally subversive humor, they were also rendered as grotesque, lewd, or dangerous.
The consuming public’s desire to see the very kinds of displays that reformers wished to regulate put the circus establishment in a difficult position.
Fairs were held all over Britain from city to village green, but the first special fair of the Queen's new reign was held in Hyde Park. Every kind of article from ribbons to pies was sold. The Victorians loved the macabre and looking at freaks from fat men, fat women to the contrast of living skeletons, two headed ladies and for a time the so called Elephant man to mind reading dogs and performing horses. The crowds loved them all.
It is interesting to note the John Merrick, The Elephant Man, was one thing the various classes in Victorian times could agree on. Unfortunately for Mr. Merrick, the Victorians felt he was put on earth for their entertainment. The owner of the sideshow used him to draw crowds, the doctor who "rescued" him put him on display, the rich socialites would think it was fun to have tea with him, and the boys at the pub thought it would be fun to get him drunk.
Circus
It was during the Victorian era that the circus, whose origins lay in the fairground world, emerged as a commercialized entertainment that we would recognize today. This development was intricately tied to a widespread demand for circus acts by a broad range of classes.
The Victorian circus ring was a showcase for equestrian battle scenes, Chinese jugglers, clowns, female acrobats, and child performers. Although such acts exhibited wondrous qualities, unabashed displays of physical power, and occasionally subversive humor, they were also rendered as grotesque, lewd, or dangerous.
The consuming public’s desire to see the very kinds of displays that reformers wished to regulate put the circus establishment in a difficult position. circus, whose origins lay in the fairground world, emerged as a commercialized entertainment that we would recognize today. This development was intricately tied to a widespread demand for circus acts by a broad range of classes.
The Victorian circus ring was a showcase for equestrian battle scenes, Chinese jugglers, clowns, female acrobats, and child performers. Although such acts exhibited wondrous qualities, unabashed displays of physical power, and occasionally subversive humor, they were also rendered as grotesque, lewd, or dangerous.
The consuming public’s desire to see the very kinds of displays that reformers wished to regulate put the circus establishment in a difficult position.
// posted by Lucy @ 4:32 AM 
