Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890), often erroneously called John Merrick, was an English man known for having severe deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name, "the Elephant Man", and then went to live at the London Hospital after he met Sir Frederick Treves, subsequently becoming well known in London society.
Merrick was born in Leicester and began to develop abnormally before the age of five. His mother died when he was eleven and his father soon remarried. Rejected by his father and stepmother, he left home and went to live with his uncle Charles Merrick. In 1879, 17-year-old Merrick entered the Leicester Union Workhouse. In 1884, he contacted a showman named Sam Torr and proposed that Torr should exhibit him. Torr arranged for a group of men to manage Merrick, whom they named 'the Elephant Man'. After touring the East Midlands, Merrick travelled to London to be exhibited in a penny gaff shop rented by showman Tom Norman. Norman's shop was visited by surgeon Frederick Treves who invited Merrick to be examined. After Merrick was displayed by Treves at a meeting of the Pathological Society of London in 1883, Norman's shop was closed by the police and Merrick joined Sam Roper's circus and was toured in Europe.In Belgium, Merrick was robbed by his road manager and abandoned in Brussels. He eventually made his way back to the London Hospital where he was allowed to stay for the rest of his life. Treves visited him daily, and the pair developed a close friendship. Merrick also received visits from the wealthy ladies and gentlemen of London society, including Alexandra, Princess of Wales. Although the official cause of his death was asphyxia, Treves, who performed the postmortem, said Merrick had died of a dislocated neck.
The exact cause of Merrick's deformities is unclear. In 1986 it was conjectured that he had Proteus syndrome. DNA tests on his hair and bones in a 2003 study were inconclusive because his skeleton had been bleached multiple times before being displayed at the Royal London Hospital. Merrick's life was depicted in a 1979 play by Bernard Pomerance, and a 1980 film by David Lynch, both titled The Elephant Man.
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Some of their strengths
John Merrick has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intelligent, Kind, Diplomatic, Passionate, Independent, Imaginative, and Creative.
Bold and Confident
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, John Merrick is someone who is a bold, confident, energetic, and optimistic person, who is able to combine personal warmth and charisma with intelligence. A person who defines themself by their friends and what groups they belong to.
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know John Merrick well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Courteous and Easygoing
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe John Merrick as someone who is polite, modest, and diplomatic.
A person who tends to be socially popular, who loves intellectual or creative activities, who has a talent for communicating with and understanding the needs of others, and who seems to have a knack for getting recognized for their efforts.
Perceptive and Visionary
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, John Merrick is someone who has a natural awareness about what is going on in the surrounding environment and the world at large, and a refined vision of how to navigate it.
They are also someone who is calm, comforting, and stable, and who loves stability and being a good friend and loyal partner.
Creative and Leadership-oriented
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, John Merrick tends to be someone who is a natural leader, with determination, motivational powers, and who takes obligations seriously. Who has charisma, a sense of humor, and who tends to attract attention.
Some of John Merrick's challenges
While John Merrick has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, John Merrick can be Arrogant, Status-seeking, Impulsive, Careless, Hesitant, Narcissistic, and Indecisive.
Arrogant and Status-seeking
One of John Merrick's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as arrogant and status-seeking.
Indecisive and Materialistic
John Merrick is someone who can be indecisive, indulgent, and materialistic, who can have difficulty focusing on a single career or profession, have difficulty following orders or respecting authority, and who can suffer from "analysis paralysis".
Domineering and Stubborn
Finally, John Merrick also can be too rebellious, not respond to criticism well, and be too emotional and extreme about things.
