the tragic story of the victorian ape woman
- Categories
- Book/Boek
- Creator
- Gylseth, Christopher Hals
- Creator
- Toverud, Lars O.
- Publish Year
- 2004
- Shelfmark
- A952 - A
- Thesaurus
- vrouwenlichamen, theater, circussen, ziekten, Mexico, 19e eeuw
- Description
- Julia Pastrana, a Mexican Indian woman born with congenital hypertrichosis, a condition that caused her small body to grow copious amounts of hair and an ape-like protruding mouth, was a 19th-century freak show superstar. Billed as the 'baboon lady,' she spent much of her life—and afterlife as an embalmed corpse—being carted around America and Europe to shock curious circus-goers and scientists. Aside from sprinkled references to her accomplishments (she spoke three languages and was a gifted singer and dancer), the authors dwell on the intelligent and sentient human being that she was. Lengthy digressions into the lives of P.T. Barnum, Joseph Merrick