《象人》的主人公約翰•梅力因為腦袋碩大無比，身體畸形酷似大象而被人稱為“象人”，不過這個人物並不是劇作家杜撰出來的，而是真實存在於19世紀的倫敦。1923年，以他為研究物件的醫生弗瑞迪•崔佛士出版了《象人和他的回憶》的手記。1973年，另一位作家Ashley Montagu又出版了《象人——人的尊嚴的研究》一書。被這兩本書深深打動的劇作家以此為藍本寫成了劇本《象人》。這部作品在1979年倫敦公演時備受好評，之後在百老匯也是長演不衰的.劇目。獲得1979年東尼獎最佳戲劇獎。
《象人》The Elephant Man
The Last Letter
Six months later, in April 1890, I found him dead inbed. He was on his back in bed, so at first I thought he was asleep. I talked to him, but he did not move. Then I saw that the skin on his face was blue, so I knew he was dead.
He did not usually sleep on his back. His enormous head was very heavy, so he usually sat up in bed with his arms round his legs, and his head on his knees. He could sleep well like this.
But he wanted to sleep on his back like you and me. Hetried to sleep on his back that night, but his heavy head came off the bed, and he broke his neck. He died very quickly.
Next day, the Chairman of the London Hospital, Mr Carr Gomm, wrote to the editor of The Times again.
The Times, April 16th, 1890
Dear Sir,
Three and a half years ago I wrote to you about a man called Joseph Merrick. This man was called‘The Elephant Man' because he aws born with a very ugly body. Merrick was not ill, but he could not work, and he had no money.
The readers of The Times felt sorry for him, and they gave me a lot of money for Merrick. Because of this money, we could giveMerrick a home in the Lon-don Hospital. It was his first good home, and for three and a half years he lived here happily. The doctors and nurses of the hospital helped him, and many important people visited him. He read many books, he went to the the atre, and in the summer he stayed in the country for six weeks. Because of your readers’ money, we couldgive him a happy life.
Last night Joseph Merrick died quietly in his bed. He was a man with a very ugly body, but he was a good, kind man, and he had a lot of friends. We liked to talk to him, and we are all very sorry because he is dead. A lot of people are going to remember him for a longtime.
There is some money left, so I am going to give it to the hospital. Thank you, sir, for your help.
Yours faithfully
F. C. Carr Gomm
Chairman of The London
Hospital
最後一封信
過了六個月，也就是1890年4月，我發現他死在床上。他仰面朝天，開始我以為他睡著了，我朝他說話他不動，後來我見他臉上的皮膚髮青，才知道他死了。
他通常不能躺著睡覺，因為他的腦袋又大又重，所以他常常坐在床上，用手抱著腿，把頭放在膝蓋上，這樣他能睡得很好。
可是他也想像你我這樣躺著睡覺。那天晚上他試著躺下來睡，結果他那個龐大的頭跌下床，折斷了脖子。他很快就死了。
第二天倫敦醫院院長卡爾.戈蒙又給《泰晤士報》的編輯寫了一封信：
摘自1890年4月16日的《泰晤士報》
親愛的先生：
三年半以前我寫信給你介紹了一個名叫約瑟夫.麥裡克的男人，這個人被叫做“象人”，他天生有一個像大象一樣的醜陋身軀。麥裡克沒有病，但他不能工作，也沒有錢。
《泰晤士報》的讀者們很同情他，給了他許多錢。有了這些錢，我們可以在倫敦醫院裡給他安個家，這是他的第一個家。三年半以來他一直生活得很幸福，醫院裡的醫生和護士都幫助他，許多要人來拜訪他。他讀了許多書，去看過戲，在鄉間避暑待了六個星期。有了讀者們給的錢，我們把他的生活安排得很幸福。
昨天晚上約瑟夫.麥裡克在床上靜靜死去。他是一個很醜的人，但是很好、很善良，他有許多朋友。我們都喜歡與他交談，我們都很遺憾，他死了。許多人會永遠記著他的。
現在還剩下一些錢，我準備把這些錢捐給醫院。感謝你的幫助。
謹致
倫敦醫院院長F.C.卡爾.戈蒙
1890年4月16日