People Believe Edward Mordrake Had An Evil Face Growing On The Back Of His Head
Mordrake Thought His Second Face Was Alive And Wanted Him To Be Miserable
According to various myths, Mordrake claimed he often heard a voice coming from the face, taunting him and whispering horrible things to him at night. Despite his pleas for a doctor to remove the face, no one would attempt the procedure. At the time, doctors weren't even sure why Mordrake had a second face, let alone how to sever it from his head without killing him.
Even if the face wasn't alive, it doesn't mean Mordrake didn't hear things. If he grew up with people always talking about his evil second face, he could have become paranoid or depressed. Other mental ailments, like schizophrenia or PTSD, can lead to auditory hallucinations as well.
Rumors About His 'Evil Face' Were Rampant
In all the tales about Edward Mordrake, it is not just the afflicted nobleman who believed his second face was evil. Others echoed the sentiment, saying the face told him to act out. The "demon face," as Mordrake reportedly called it, had its own idea of how he should live and wanted to inflict pain on others as well.
While most stories say Mordrake had male facial features on the back of his head, others claimed the second face was that of a beautiful woman. One described the face as "lovely as a dream, hideous as a devil," and its eyes would track those who passed it. The face allegedly smiled whenever Mordrake was upset and furled its brow on the rare occasion Mordrake was happy.
Whether the face was male or female, legends say its intentions were malevolent.
If He Existed, He Had An Incredibly Rare Genetic Defect
Photo: Connecticutcutbirder / flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0In the 19th century, people probably thought Mordrake was a monster, or his family had done something awful to deserve a son with a scary second face. In reality, if he existed, Mordrake had a real medical condition called diprosopus.
This malady is a congenital defect that gives otherwise healthy children (and sometimes animals) duplicated facial features. It's an incredibly rare genetic abnormality (researchers reported only 35 human cases up until 2013) and even more unlikely it would cause a full vestigial face on the back of the head. Still, it's not impossible.
He Pushed Everyone Away
After realizing he couldn't have his second face removed without risking death, Mordrake began to isolate himself. In Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine, the text describes Mordrake as "a profound scholar, and a musician of rare ability," and perhaps he buried himself in these pastimes in an attempt to drown out the nagging, wicked appendage.
Some versions of the Edward Mordrake myth say he completely cut himself off from everyone, including his family.
No One Knows Who The Real Edward Mordrake Was
There are a lot of rumors about the true identity behind Edward Mordrake (sometimes spelled Mordake or Mortdrake), the man with two faces. Most literature about this man with a terrible affliction alleges he was born into an aristocratic family.
Many believe Mordrake's story first appeared in Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine, published in October 1896. The text says Mordrake was "said to have been heir to one of the noblest peerages in England." He never claimed this title, however, due to his affliction.
The text also goes out of its way to mention how handsome Mordrake was except for the monstrous face on the back of his head. Could his second head have been the outcome of generations of inbreeding within noble families? Or was there something evil at work?
The Legends Say He Committed Suicide
There's no official word on what happened to the man with two faces, but there are two stories about his untimely demise. In one story, the young man was so fraught with depression over his ailment that he overdosed on poison and drifted away in his sleep. He was supposedly only 23 years old.
The other, more visceral version of the story has Mordrake shooting himself in the head, right between the eyes of his second face.
Mordrake May Have Been A Fictional Character
Mordrake's story is nothing short of fantastical, even if it is a bit macabre. It has a fictional feel to it, and there is a chance someone made up his entire existence.
The story of Mordrake first became well-known when it appeared in Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by George M. Gould and Walter L. Pyle, published in 1896. The book is a collection of medical anomalies like Mordrake, but there's no source information for any of it. In 2015 historian Alex Boese found Gould and Pyle's source: an 1895 article from the Boston Sunday Post. The report about "Half Human Monsters" features the story of the weird and "melancholy" Edward Mordrake.
The Famous Picture Of Mordrake Isn't Real
Photo: Unknown Artist / via The Human MarvelsIf you've ever looked into Mordrake, you'll likely have seen a photo of the medical anomaly rendered in black and white. The picture appears to provide proof of Mordrake's existence, but there's just one problem: It's not real.
The photo exists, but the head in it is of a wax mock-up of Mordrake, not the man himself. If he did exist, it would be weird there weren't photos of him; Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, lived during the same era, and there's a famous photo of Merrick. In fact, people were so interested in him, he made most of his money from public appearances. If Mordrake were real, it's likely there would be photographic proof.
The Myth Of Mordrake Continues To Appear In Pop Culture
The story of Mordrake and his second face has captured people's imaginations for generations. He's made his way into short stories, wax sculptures, and even TV shows.
The biggest bump in the Mordrake story came from American Horror Story: Freak Show, which features Wes Bentley playing Mordrake. As you might imagine, AHS's Mordrake is much more evil than the version described as a melancholic shut-in.
Aside from direct references to Mordrake, the man with two faces appears in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone under the guise of Professor Quirrell. Quirrell is Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, but he's hiding the hideous face of Voldemort under his headscarf.
There Are Modern-Day Examples Of Mordrake's Ailment
Video: YouTube
Even though there's zero factual documentation about Mordrake, there are numerous accounts of people born with medical anomalies similar to his disorder.
In 2014 a set of Australian twins were born with diprosopus. The twins, Hope and Faith Howie, were born with two faces attached to one body. They clung to life for 19 days before they passed away. This story is similar to that of most children born with diprosopus, so the idea that Mordrake could have lived 23 years is far-fetched - but not impossible.
In 2017, Missouri's Tres Johnson, a boy born with two faces, celebrated his 13th birthday despite doctors claiming he wouldn't survive past infancy. His parents share updates on his life via Facebook.
