A Study in Human Dignity

"Tis true my form is something odd,

But blaming me is blaming God;

Could I create myself anew

I would not fail in pleasing you.
"If I could reach from pole to pole

Or grasp the occan with a span,

I would be measured by the soul;

The mind's the standard of the man."

Human dignity is a person's pride that one can fight hard to keep high. Dignity is not a quality of being highly valued but it is the highest human value itself. It is the ability to behave in a calm, controlled way even in a difficult situation. Ashley Montague wrote a play that was based on a physically deformed person, his name is John Merrick. John Merrick was a beautiful and a unique person. Above all, he had human dignity like no other. However, since John Merrick was severely disfigured many people mistreated him in many ways such as public humiliation, being verbally and physically abused.

John Merrick was born in Leicester in the late nineteenth century. He was a man who was tragically deformed yet charming and intelligent. Merrick was clearly mistreated in many scenes of the play. For instance, he was displayed on a freak show by Ross because of his unique genetic disorder. There, he experienced the public humiliation and the horrified reactions from the public. Furthermore, Fredrick Treves showed Merrick publicly to the anatomy class. He also abused Merrick verbally by calling him animal names.

However, John Merrick responded beautifully to those who abused him. For example, he reacted calmly and respectfully when Miss Sandwich saw him and reacted in horror. Moreover, he did not runaway nor complain when people looked at him in a hideous and a dreadful way during the freak show. Merrick also responded calmly to the brutality of the police.

In my opinion, John Merrick should be treated as any normal human being would. People should learn to respect him as a human being and not as a spectacle. I personally felt pity for John Merrick at first, but then my feelings changed to admiration as the play went on. I believe that we should respect John Merrick, not cry for him. Though, I know that I cannot help crying.

In conclusion, nothing can compromise a person's dignity, not the money, not the fame. Seeing someone so beautiful, dignified, and unique like John Merrick made me realize that he was one of a kind. I certainly think that someone else like him physically or emotionally will never appear again. His life should be taken as an example to everyone.