History of Freaks and Monsters

Marina Levina, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Communication The University of Memphis mlevina@memphis.edu www.marinalevina.com

What Makes a Monster?

The word monster takes its root from the Latin monstra meaning to show forth, warn, or sign. It shares its root with demonstrate. In the 16th century, teratology, the science of monsters, traveled into the classificatory science of medicine The text that initiated the classification of monstrosity according to some scientific guideline was Ambrois Pars De Monstres et prodigies (On Monsters and Marvels) (1573),

Pares Monsters and Prodigies

Monsters are things that appear outside the course of Nature (and are usually signs of some forthcoming misfortune), such as a child who is born with one arm, another who will have two heads, and additional members over and above the ordinary. Prodigies are things which happen that are completely against Nature, as when a woman will give birth to a serpent, or to a dog, or some other thing that is totally again Nature

Pares Monsters

Monsters of excess Monsters of default Monsters of duplicity

Pares 13 Causes of Monsters

The first is the glory of God. The second, his wrath. The third, two great a quantity of semen. The fourth, too small a quantity. The fifth, imagination. The sixth, the narrowness of the womb. The seventh, the unbecoming sitting position of the mother, who, while pregnant, remains seated too long with her thighs crossed or pressed against her stomach. The eighth, by a fall or blows struck against the stomach of the mother during pregnancy. The ninth, by hereditary or accidental illnesses. The tenth, by the rotting or corruption of the semen. The eleventh, by the mingling or mixture of seed. The twelfth, by the artifice or wandering beggars. The thirteenth, by demons or devils

Pares Monster of Wrath of God

Pares Monster of Unnatural Couplings

Pares Monster of Default

Pares Monster of Excess

Pares Monster of duplicity

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20th Century Monsters

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Tod Browings Freaks

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Tod Browinings Freaks

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Diane Arbus
IDENTICAL TWINS, ROSELLE, N.J. 1967

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TEENAGE COUPLE ON HUDSON STREET, N.Y.C. 1963

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A NAKED MAN BEING A WOMAN, NYC 1965

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CHILD WITH TOY HAND GRENADE IN CENTRAL PARK, NYC 1962

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A JEWISH GIANT AT HOME WITH HIS PARENTS IN THE BRONX, NY 1970

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MEXICAN DWARF IN HIS HOTEL ROOM, NYC 1970

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TATOOED MAN AT A CARNIVAL, MD 1970

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The Headless Woman, 1961

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COMMUNICATION 4223/6223 Special Topics in Film

Monster Films
Fall 2011 Mondays 5:30-8:30 Dr. Marina Levina mlevina@memphis.edu

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