Spectacles of the Strange: Unveiling the World of Freak Shows
During the heyday of the circus, curious people were enticed by colourful posters to see the rarities of nature. Inside the dark tents, one could experience the living legends of Siamese twins, bearded women, giants, and other incredible performers. Many of these people were ridiculed and ostracised, but in the circus world, they found a place where they could earn a living and where their appearance opened the door to a better life. However, the truth was that many were forced to perform as ‘freaks’ solely to make money for others and to satisfy an inquisitive audience. Who were these people, and what were their destinies?
Bio:
Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer with a master degree in language, culture and literature from the University of Oslo and Linnaeus University. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and main focus has always been topics that others have considered strange, eccentric and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience
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