Abstract
This dissertation examines the representation of the serial murderer Gesche Gottfried’s criminal case in popular media, with a particular focus on two graphic novels (Peer Meter and Barbara Yelin's Gift, published in 2010; Eloise Grills' Sexy Female Murderesses, published in 2018) and a feature film (Effigy - Poison and the City, directed by Udo Flohr, 2019), all released in recent years. Gesche Gottfried poisoned fifteen people, including her own children, between 1813 and 1827 in Bremen. Her criminal case has captured public and cultural imagination for nearly two centuries, finding expression in literature, film, theatre, and more. Through a lens that encompasses media studies, criminology, cultural history, gender studies, and narrative theory, this thesis examines how recent adaptations reinterpret Gottfried’s story, particularly scrutinizing themes of gender and power. Through analysis of the visual and narrative strategies of contemporary works, as well as interviews with the comic artists and the film director, this study seeks to gain a deeper understanding of how popular media engages with historical criminal cases to reflect and influence contemporary social discourses. It not only tracks how the depiction of Gottfried’s case changed over time but also investigates how these depictions are shaped by their respective socio-cultural contexts. Furthermore, this dissertation connects the individual case to the broader dynamics of the true-crime hype, examining its influence on public consciousness and cultural narratives. This study illustrates how popular media adaptations serve as bridges between the past and the present, acting both as artifacts of culture and as vehicles for shaping societal values through innovative storytelling techniques. These techniques illuminate how popular media adaptations find creative ways to convey the past and connect it to contemporary discourses to provoke discussions about gender roles, power dynamics, and societal progression.
Committee Chair
Lynne Tatlock
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Author's Department
Germanic Languages and Literatures
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
5-9-2024
Language
German (de)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7936/zdvr-t944
Recommended Citation
Maurer, Patricia Elisabeth Margarethe, "Durch den kulturellen Spiegel: Adaptionen einer Serienmörderin des 19. Jahrhunderts in den populären Medien" (2024). Arts & Sciences Theses and Dissertations. 3046.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.7936/zdvr-t944