Houdini : Magician & Legend

1 Pages 211 Words

In his essay, “The Case of Harry Houdini”, Daniel Epstein tell how the message of Harry Houdini’s career was that “humankind cannot be held in chains.” This message is illustrated throughout Houdini’s career of magic and escapism. Houdini would not only perform “standard” magic tricks, but he would also perform unparalleled feats of escape. From straightjackets while hanging off the side of a building above a crowded street of people to escaping from different jail cells around the world, throughout his illustrious career, Houdini escaped from all manner of objects. In England, he escaped from the most prestigious police force in the world, Scotland Yard. In Germany, he escaped from a plot to
disgrace him by freeing himself from a custom made straight jacket to a pair of custom made handcuffs, all at the anger of the German police. In Russia, he
performed one of his most famous escapes in history. Then in London, Houdini performed his greatest feat by escaping from the Mirror Handcuffs, a pair of
handcuffs designed and built with Houdini in mind. Throughout his career, Houdini did feats of magic and escape that still baffle people today and, in doing so, showed that “humankind cannot be held in chains.”...