Jack the Ripper in Modern Culture

Most of us already know the story of the autumn of terror in 1888, where Jack the Ripper remained concealed in the shadows of the weaving East End streets and the public responded in an almost unconventional, satiric way, perhaps to hide the pervading fear through the community.

Unlike many murder cases though, which, might we say, are often considered to be just as gruesome and ghastly, the Ripper saga has found its way into modern culture with ease; whether it is just a mention or a full documentary highlighting Jack the Ripper suspects.

But what is keeping the Ripper’s case alive, if you will, in today’s society?

Well, to begin with, the nature of the crimes is more than grisly yet perhaps it is the inner workings of this serial killer’s mind that has everyone on the edge of their seats. There are a handful of theories suggesting the reasoning behind murdering his victims in the way the Ripper did, one of which claims that draining the body of blood by cutting the throat made it easier to remove organs.

Moving on though, you also have the Ripper’s choice in victims, mainly prostitutes. This fact has given rise to many a motive over the years, including a severe hatred of women. Though this part of the Jack the Ripper mystery may remain just that, it is interesting to hear people’s beliefs and thoughts on this, which is another reason we may be so gripped by the saga.

Last, but certainly not least, you have arguably the most intriguing fact of the whole legacy; the killer’s true identity. Of course, whilst we may never know the murderers name or face for sure, would we want to? The concept of the Ripper has been mentioned in many TV series set in and around 1888, making this killer a defining feature of this time in modern culture. So, we must argue, if he was caught, would the Ripper case still be as big as it is today among Ripperologists and those intrigued by the saga.

What do you think?