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Lizzie Borden Story: Beyond the Axe, A Look at Female Rage
24 Sep
Summary
- FX series explores Lizzie Borden's story with historical liberties.
- Show links Borden to historical female rage and subjugation.
- Compares fictional portrayals to historical accounts of key figures.
FX's "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story" reimagines the 1892 Fall River murders, departing from strict historical accuracy to explore themes of female rage. The eight-episode series contrasts the common rhyme about Lizzie Borden with a dramatized account of the killings, immediately diverging from known facts.
The show presents Lizzie as naive, a stark contrast to the real 32-year-old woman. It creatively depicts her life, including her relationship with her maid Bridget Sullivan and her love for doves, often differing from historical records.
Abby and Emma Borden are also reimagined; Abby as a villainous stepmother and Emma as a socialite. These portrayals deviate from historical accounts of them as more ordinary figures.
Further blurring reality and fiction, the series links Lizzie's story to historical figures like Elizabeth Báthory and Aileen Wuornos, suggesting a throughline of female subjugation and rage. These comparisons, while dramatic, are largely speculative within the show's narrative.
While the series captures some truths, such as Lizzie's post-acquittal life at Maplecroft, it concludes with fictional elements like her becoming a suffragette. The show emphasizes that Lizzie's guilt remains unsettled.
