Abstract
:In 1955, Ruth Ellis became the last woman hanged in Britain. A 2003 appeal, which sought to revise her murder conviction to manslaughter, was dismissed on the grounds that “battered woman syndrome” was unknown at the time of her trial. In representing her hanging in slow motion, with an exchange of POV shots between Ellis and her executioner, Pierrepoint (2005) visualizes facets of Ellis’s contested legacy: the continued refusal to recognize the suffering of women caused by abusive men and the extent to which Ellis’s conviction was shaped by prevailing cultural stereotypes which identified her as degenerate on the grounds of her appearance and lifestyle. Pierrepoint recreates Ellis’s death but suggests her legacy remains “alive,” an ongoing injustice yet to be remedied.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Similar Papers
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.