Gluttons, Sword Swallowers, and Bearded Ladies: Prus in the World of Curiosities (on the Margins of the Chronicles)

Abstract

The paper analyses the comments and allusions made by Prus in the Chronicles with reference to the circus and to shows of peculiarities, which in the second half of the 19^th  century were regarded as unsophisticated, fairground entertainment aimed at the lower strata of society. Both deviations from nature, especially various forms of body deformities (such as obesity, excessive hair growth, dwarfism, or the absence of limbs) and skills that make a human being or an animal exceptional among its species evoked widespread interest among 19^th-century audiences. In order to attract viewers, circus entrepreneurs engaged in performances in Poland some foreign well-known figures, such as Julia Pastrana, the bearded Mexican Indian woman; Ira Albert Paine, an American marksman and inventor; and the McCoy Siamese twins. Prus did not share the opinion of critics who were indignant at circus amusements. He valued circus artists for their efforts, devotion and self-discipline. He justified the popularity of oddities shows and displays of physical stamina among the lower social classes by their need for strong sensations, which derived from the lack of aesthetic refinement. He commented on the reports of the performances of successive circus stars and curiosities in Warsaw with indulgence and his characteristic ironic distance.