Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story has sparked plenty of discussion since arriving on Netflix, with viewers reacting to its graphic violence, sexual themes and fictionalized take on one of America’s most notorious murder cases. The eight-part series stars Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden, alongside Sarah Paulson, Charlie Hunnam, Billie Lourd and Vicky Krieps. While the drama portrays Lizzie as responsible for the deaths of her father and stepmother, Andrew and Abby Borden, the real Lizzie was acquitted in 1893, leaving the 1892 killings officially unsolved. One detail that has particularly caught viewers’ attention is the repeated focus on Lizzie’s menstruation. In the series, Abby describes her unusually heavy flow as “diluvian,” a word derived from the Latin diluvium, meaning a great flood or deluge. The show also uses the more formal term “menses” for menstruation. Social-media users joked about the timing of the storyline, especially those watching while on their own periods, while others questioned some of the show’s historical choices.
The menstrual storyline, however, is partly rooted in the historical record. During the original investigation, police reportedly found bloodied cloths in the Borden home and blood on Lizzie’s underskirt. She explained that she was menstruating, and the family doctor reportedly confirmed it. Her defense later referenced her “monthly illness” during the 1893 trial, while historical accounts mention her having “peculiar spells” around her menstrual cycle. The series also invents or dramatizes other aspects of Lizzie’s life, including a romantic relationship with her maid, Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan. There is no established evidence that such a relationship existed, although Lizzie’s close friendship with actress Nance O’Neil has long fueled speculation about her sexuality. Beatty said the relationship in the series represents Lizzie’s experience of being seen, loved and transformed by someone less restricted by Victorian social expectations. Beyond the fictionalized romance and graphic scenes, the real case remains the central mystery: Lizzie was acquitted, while Andrew and Abby’s killer was never definitively identified.
