Lizzie Borden’s celeriac soup scene in Netflix’s Monster show leaves viewers divided; what did the family actually eat?
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Netflix's 'The Lizzie Borden Story' has sparked viewer debate over a specific scene involving celeriac soup. The series blends historical records with fictionalized domestic drama to explore the notorious 1892 Borden family murders.
The Intersection of Fact and Fiction in 'The Lizzie Borden Story'
Netflix’s recent release, The Lizzie Borden Story, which premiered on September 17, has reignited public fascination with the infamous 1892 axe murders. By focusing on the domestic environment of the Borden household, the show attempts to ground its narrative in the mundane realities of the era. However, a specific scene involving a celeriac soup has become a focal point of viewer scrutiny, highlighting the thin line between historical accuracy and creative license in period dramas.
The Celeriac Controversy
In the series, a domestic tension point arises when the family is served potato-leek soup instead of the requested celeriac soup. This seemingly minor detail serves as a narrative device to illustrate the fraught power dynamics within the Borden home, particularly between the family members and their servants. While the show presents this as part of its reconstruction of 1892 life, it has prompted audiences to verify the culinary habits of the period and the specific nature of the Borden household’s diet.
Character Dynamics and Narrative Construction
Starring Ella Beatty as Lizzie, Charlie Hunnam as Andrew, and Rebecca Hall as Abby, the series utilizes these characters to anchor the historical mystery in human behavior. The soup scene functions as a microcosm for the larger, more sinister events that define the Borden legacy. By focusing on domestic grievances, the writers are clearly aiming to humanize—or perhaps villainize—the figures involved, using the tension of a meal to foreshadow the violent breakdown of the family unit.
Balancing Historical Record with Dramatization
Netflix explicitly categorizes the drama as a "fictionalized interpretation" built upon the historical record. This disclaimer is essential, as the show prioritizes thematic resonance over strict historical replication. The use of specific food items, like celeriac, serves to ground the audience in the Victorian era while allowing the narrative the flexibility to explore the psychological stress that may have preceded the murders.
Broader Implications for Historical Media
This debate underscores a growing trend in modern television: the "true crime" genre is increasingly moving away from mere forensic reporting toward character-driven psychological studies. By dissecting the Borden household’s dinner table, viewers are participating in a larger cultural conversation about how we consume historical trauma. The scrutiny of the soup scene proves that audiences are not just interested in the "who" or "how" of a crime, but are deeply invested in the "why" of the domestic atmosphere.
Conclusion
Ultimately, while the celeriac soup scene may be a creative embellishment, it succeeds in its primary goal: provoking discourse about the Borden household. By blending the known facts of the 1892 murders with fictionalized domestic tension, the series invites viewers to look past the axe and into the daily grievances of a family living on the edge of a historical precipice. Whether or not the Borden family actually preferred celeriac over potato-leek, the scene remains a poignant example of how modern storytelling utilizes historical settings to mirror contemporary concerns.
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