Abstract

This Independent Study examines three different science fiction works, Frankenstein (1818), Rosemary’s Baby (1969), and “Bloodchild” (1984) to explore the subgenre of birth/maternity horror and its function as a commentary on women’s rights throughout the last 200 years. I use several Feminist Marxist theories and gender theories developed by critical authors such as Silvia Federici, Judith Butler, Luce Irigaray, and Hortense Spillers to analyze these fictional works’ portrayals of motherhood and highlight the value in their depictions of parturition. This paper not only focuses on examining the history of the fear of childbirth but also delves further into how these fears have been developed through societal and cultural impacts, which still extend to today. My findings emphasize society’s commodification of the womb and fertility and how these ongoing issues express themselves within the works I am examining. Overall, the purpose of this Independent Study is to shed light on the heavily ignored and silenced issue of the denial of women’s bodily autonomy during pregnancy while displaying the horror genre’s role in social change.

Advisor

Starr, Marlo

Department

English

Keywords

Horror, Pregnancy, Maternity, Frankenstein, Rosemary’s Baby, “Bloodchild”, birth, Monstrous Offspring, Feminist Marxism, Breeding Industry, Wombs, Parturition, Gender, Race, Slavery, Medical Neglect, Autonomy, Motherhood

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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