Mahira Primary Source Discussion:
Link of image: https://www.loc.gov/item/2007682633/
The name of this image is An animal keeper feeding raw meat to lions in a circus cage as spectators watch. It is was created in Detroit, Michigan, and published in 1891 by Calvert Litho. Co. This image appeared in circus posters and chromolithographs. This image shows animals at work in a circus. It shows an animal tamer, who as an act of entertainment for the spectators watching, is feeding a lion, in a small cage, raw meat.
This image connects to the theme of Animals at Work as Pets. It shows a view of the circus and performance animals that have been used for human entertainment. The lion, who though being fed and one may think that it is being looked over and taken care of, is being used as entertainment. There are other animals present in the image who like the lion are also being used in the circus. These include giraffes, elephants, and camels.
In Varga’s reading, she stated that the staging of human superiority over wildlife is also evident in its exotic collections, circuses, and shows.1 Therefore, animals in the circus are subjected to control all aspects of their existence and are used in a variety of ways for entertainment purposes, from harmless to cruel.2
Furthermore, all this answers one focus question of week 6 that asked that “Where did working-class and middle-class Americans go to see exotic and wild animals in urban spaces, and what made an animal wild or exotic?” Firstly, as shown by the image, working-class and middle-class Americans, to see exotic and wild animals in urban spaces, went to a circus. For the question that what made an animal wild or exotic, I would say that circus animals consisted of exotic animals. This means that one could not just find these animals out in the streets or forests of urban cities like squirrels or wolves. Circus animals come from International Trade and thus, circus animals are wild animals of other countries and are exotic. What do you think about this?
An animal like an elephant is relaxed and calm when living freely in a country like Africa. But, when it gets sent to a circus in North America, it is completely subjected to control rather than living freely. How would you describe the change in circus animals’ perspective when comparing their normal behavior with their behavior at work? Or do you think nothing will change?
