From two headed men to seven breasted
women, from giants and dwarfs to Siamese twins, the phenomenon of
the freak has fascinated man for centuries. In this, the classic
study of the very nature of that fascination, Fiedler offers an in
depth examination of man's views of the freak from classical times
to the present.
Holy figure or showpiece, object of
scorn or pity, symbol of human alienation or of the future
possibilities of man, all are images with which the freak has been
associated throughout history. In identifying them, Fiedler reveals
the semi-religious awe, uneasiness, terror and sympathy that have
defined our reactions to the freak in both life and art. Drawing
from history, sociology, anthropology, Freudian psychology, biology,
literature and popular culture, he presents a masterpiece of
interdisciplinary scholarship that shows above all how we perceive
the freak as the "other", the dark and unnatural mirror of
ourselves.
Condition: Near mint book inside
very good dustjacket.
|
