P.T. Barnum
The late 19 th century was era of vast change and social, economic, andindustrial upheaval. Many of the changes during the 19th century can beseen in our 20 th century society. The growth of classes created new distinctionsbetween the rich and the poor that remain with us today. Especially in the1880sand 1890s, it can be observed how many workplaces, consumer choices, recreationalpursuits, and demographic patterns underwent transition or transformation (Thomson 12). The remnants of the traditional society which existed priorto the Civil War era were seldom to be seem. The changing role of women,the rise in immigration, the expansion into the West, the growth of the middle class,
The growth of the middle class as well as the growing separationof the middle class from the low-income manual laborers define the differences that begin to emerge at the close of the 19th century. Itis this vast upheaval of the notion of classes, the role of women and immigrants, and the positionof workers which characterized the modernization of the19th century. The growing importance of the middle class isevidentin their increasing control of the country's political, social,and culturalagendas. The role of freaks inthe entertainment of each class and culture of Americans is seen in theliteratureof the era. the growth of the urban poor, the changing media and communication:all of these transformations contributed to the new society that was emerginginthe late 19th century. One endeavor which can be seen as a result of this mass upheaval in rolesandposition is the rise and popularity of freak shows. Itwas the changes in class, work, ethnicity, and religionin America whichsparked transformations in the cultural and social pursuits. The culturewas also starved for some form of unity and the "collectiveact of looking"by all members of society brought some unity to a nationthat was continuallybeing separated by class, gender, culture, and religion (Thomson 5). It often seems shocking that the conservative culture of VictorianAmerica would enable freak shows to be popularized. However,when examiningthese literary works and taking into account the enormous change and modernizationof the era, freak shows, which focus on the differencesin the human bodyand culture, are a fitting recreational by product of an era when the humanbody and its attributes and abilities were being reconstituted. Rosemarie Garland Thomson speaks of the role of freak shows in this era,"In a turbulant era of social and material change, the spectacle of the extraordinary body stimulated curiosity, ignited speculation, provoked titillation,furnished novelty, filled coffers, confirmed commonality, and certified nationalidentity (11)" The modernization of late 19th centuryAmerica must beseen as one of the leading reasons for the popularity ofthe traditionalfreak show, while the 20th century descendants of the freakshow can alsofind their origins within these same elements of modernization. They promoted the consumerism that defines this eraand our livestoday.
Common topics in this essay:
Civil War,
,
Garland Thomson,
middle class,
19th century,
late 19th,
growth middle,
th century,
growth middle class,
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