History's Deadliest Women: The Evil Stepmother
Summary
Host Kate Lister and Professor Joanna Birk explore the 1909 case of Martha Rendell, the last woman hanged in Western Australia for murdering three stepchildren with acid. They analyze how the "evil stepmother" trope, fears of baby farming, and gender biases shaped the sensational trial and public outrage. The discussion also covers how interpretations of Rendell’s motives shifted from religious degeneracy to sexual sadism over time.
Topics discussed
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Introduction to the Martha Rendell case
Martha Rendell: The last woman hanged in WA
The 'Evil Stepmother' archetype and media panic
Social context: Baby farming and stepmotherhood
The murders: Poisoning and neglect of children
Baby farming scandals and Amelia Dyer
Gender, poison, and the 'double deviant'
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The investigation and the husband's role
Infanticide laws vs. stepchild murder
Shifting perceptions: From degenerate to sadist
The trial, execution, and societal fears
Fairy tales and the heartless woman trope
Impact on women's suffrage and employment debates
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