Intrigued by our discussion in class about the life of Julia Pastrana, I went online and did some research about her. It is said that Julia, while she was alive, always stated how happy and content with her life she was. When we look back at the events that occurred after her death, this is when we become horrified. I am disgusted by the way her husband treated her especially when it is said that she was infatuated with him. After she died her husband sold her corpse and the baby's corpse to a Professor at a university in Moscow. Her husband found out that the mummified bodies of his wife and son were making a lot of money being on display so he wanted them back. He started making the money off them by putting them up on display for everyone to look that. Mr. Lent, Julia's husband re-married a woman with the same condition that Julia had and gained more money by telling people that it was Julia's sister. He had a breakdown and had to be institutionalized. The mummies were traded between many people for many years. They aren't even sure where the mummies are today because the place they were being stored was broken into and the baby mummy was ripped apart. They believe Julia is in the basement of a building in Oslo.
This is a shortened version of all the history this woman and her baby's body had to go through. I believe this is very wrong. It doesn't matter if someone is different physically or mentally their body should be buried through a ceremony to keep the spiritual meaning. Unfortunately Julia was not buried or given any kind of special ceremony she was displayed across the world. The only time anyone should not have a proper burial is if the person them self donates their body to science. It is not right to ever display someone's body to the public after they are deceased. Could you imagine if that person happened to see how their body was being used, it would be completely intolerable.
(Kelcey Summers 9)
The website I used to look up the history was http://thehumanmarvels.com/?p=33.
Very powerful response to "Julia." Thank you for taking the time to find some additional information about her for us. I think the information you have found only makes her story seem more horrifying. However, it seems as though Wendy Rose does exactly what you suggest at the end of your post. The genre of poetry allows Julia to come back from the dead, see how her body has been placed on display, and express her outrage.
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