Neo-Victorian Adaptations through the Media: The Representation of the Gothic New Woman in Penny Dreadful

Abstract

The popular TV series Penny Dreadful (2014-2016), created by John Logan, is an ‘exemplary piece of pastiche’ featuring well-known literary characters from nineteenth-century British literature, including Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818), Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897). As ‘cultural memes’ residing in our contemporary culture, the Victorian protagonists form relationships that are continuously evolving, resulting in a significant reshaping of their identities. The redefinition of previously marginalized female characters into strong leading figures is especially interesting. In particular, the character of Lily Frankenstein, created and shaped by Victor Frankenstein, undergoes a profound transformation as a result of the traumas she endured in her previous life, leading her to embody the controversial archetype of the Gothic New Woman. As a complex character combining traits of the New Woman and the Gothic heroine, Lily rebels against the role that men have assigned to her and, as a modern Salomé driven by revenge, she craves a bloody revolution against men. Her plan echoes late nineteenth-century fears and theories of about the creation of a super race of women, as advocated by the suffragette Frances Swiney. When her traumatic past is revealed, Lily is finally able to embark on a new path in her own search for identity. This sub-narrative highlights underlying themes concerning the role of women in a patriarchal society, as well as the influence of trauma on the formation of one’s identity.