The Legend of Lizzie Borden essays

The Legend of Lizzie Borden essays August 4, 1892. A young Irish lass calmly waltzes into the family sitting room where her aging father is peacefully napping. Most observers would expect the 32 year old Sunday school teacher to offer the gentleman, Mr. Andrew Borden, some tea, or give him a book to read, instead the woman, Miss Lizzie Borden, gave her sleeping father 18 massive hatchet chops to the skull killing the 70 year old businessman instantly. The body was mutilated, hardly recognizable. How could such a respected, upstanding woman commit such a hennas crime? How could she do it twice? Earlier that day Lizzie Borden went upstairs where her stepmother, Abby Borden, was tending to the bedroom chores. While her back was turned Lizzie rudely interrupted Abbys vital functions, wielding the same ax that would kill her father Lizzie hacked up her stepmother in much the same fashion, or did she? Theorist have debated this crime for over a century. During the trial of the murders in 1893, the jury found Miss Lizzie not guilty, despite the seemingly overwhelming facts against her. Experts attribute this verdict to the enormous pressure jurors felt from the community to find Lizzie innocent, bystanders could not believe that Lizzie was capable of committing such diabolical acts. Over the years many theories have surfaced. Some claim the Bordens servant girl Bridgett Sullivan committed the crimes. Others suggest Mister and Misses Borden were slain by an outside intruder. However, the majority of investigators believe that Lizzie did commit the murders, the only debated subject is how she did it. After reading several theories from the packet, and observing many classroom discussions on this matter, I have come to my own personal belief about the mystery. In the Hollywood version of the crime, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, the accounts of how the murders took place seem incredibly convincing. It is hard for me as a novice on ...