Why Did Lizzie Borden Kill Her Father? Exploring the Motive in Netflix’s ‘Monster’

The mystery surrounding why Lizzie Borden killed her father has captivated American true crime enthusiasts for over a century, and Netflix has recently reignited this debate. The fourth season of ‘Monster’ premiered on September 17, focusing on the infamous 1892 axe murders of Andrew and Abby Borden, as well as the trial that ultimately led to Lizzie’s acquittal. This season features a star-studded cast and has sparked considerable fan discussion.

Here’s the twist that keeps the conversation alive: Lizzie was tried and acquitted, with no other suspects ever charged in the case. This means that her motive was never legally established, and the series takes several creative liberties with the narrative.

Prosecutors contended that Lizzie harbored resentment towards her father’s frugality and her stepmother’s financial influence over him. They argued that money and family tensions were intertwined from the very beginning. Reports indicate that Lizzie and her older sister Emma frequently clashed with their father and stepmother over financial matters.

The prosecution further claimed that greed and hatred were driving forces behind Lizzie’s actions. They suggested that she wanted to prevent Andrew from altering his will in favor of Abby, presenting a compelling theory for the jury to consider, even in the absence of a murder weapon.

Additionally, there was the straightforward question of who stood to benefit from the deaths. With Andrew and Abby gone, Lizzie and Emma were set to inherit their father’s considerable fortune, making them prime suspects in the eyes of investigators.

Class aspirations may have also played a role. At 32, Lizzie lived at home but yearned for a more affluent lifestyle, aware that her father had the means to elevate their living situation. However, Andrew never flaunted his wealth.

In contrast to the prosecution’s narrative, the show presents a different perspective on Lizzie’s motives. The trailer depicts Ella Beatty’s Lizzie as a repressed young woman who conspires with her rebellious maid to eliminate her abusive parents, framing the act more as a desperate bid for survival than an act of greed.

Variety’s review describes Lizzie as suffering under a cruel stepmother and an emotionally distant father, whose friendship with the new housemaid, Bridget Sullivan, portrayed by Vicky Krieps, leads them to plot the murders in hopes of finding freedom and safety. This interpretation transforms the crime into a narrative of escape.

Beatty has expressed what draws the creative team to this story. According to Netflix Tudum, she notes that Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan aimed to explore the reasons behind why women kill, with each season serving as an exploration of the individual’s psychology.

The season also addresses a broader theme. Murphy mentions that Sarah Paulson’s role as serial killer Aileen Wuornos contributes to the show’s thematic focus on female rage, even though the two women lived in different eras.

The trial began in New Bedford on June 5, 1893, and the jury acquitted Lizzie on June 20 after just 90 minutes of deliberation. For such a high-profile case, the verdict was delivered surprisingly quickly.

The prosecution’s main challenge was the absence of concrete evidence. Lacking a murder weapon or physical proof, they relied on circumstantial evidence and witness testimonies. The defense consistently questioned the whereabouts of the blood-stained clothes and the weapon.

Some significant evidence never reached the jurors. The judge deemed her inquest testimony inadmissible and also excluded the druggist’s testimony regarding poison, leaving the prosecution with a weaker case than the public might have expected.

Contemporary attitudes also played a role. The prosecution attempted to leverage stereotypes about women’s cunning, yet Lizzie was acquitted regardless.

The Borden murders continue to be an unsolved enigma. This unresolved aspect is precisely why writers and filmmakers are drawn to the case. Even historians grapple with the question of motive.

A 1992 essay in American Heritage argued that jealousy and greed alone fail to account for the extreme violence of the crime. This gap between motive and brutality is where ‘Monster’ finds its dramatic potential.

Critics have offered mixed reviews. Metacritic assigned the season a score of 47 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating a range of opinions. TheWrap described it as a campy gothic horror and sexual melodrama, while Variety called it an outrageously engaging season.

After considering all the evidence, both the prosecution’s greed theory and the show’s portrayal of a trapped woman retaliating seem plausible. Does ‘Monster’ provide Lizzie Borden with a more believable motive for picking up the axe than the resentment and inheritance claims made by prosecutors in 1893?