Rebel of the Ravines: Phoolan Devi

10/03/18 • 48 min

How much abuse can a woman endure before she breaks? That seemed to be the horrible challenge that the wealthy men who abused Phoolan Devi had set for themselves. It was as though they were mad scientists, experimenting on the human spirit. But their experiment failed. No matter how many times they assaulted her, sent her to prison, shamed her, and beat her family, Phoolan refused to remain silent. And when, as a teenager, she was swept up into the wild world of Northern Indian bandits, called dacoits, it was time for those wealthy abusers to fear for their lives, as Phoolan grew into an expert in the vicious art of vengeance.

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Lizzie Borden, LLC

We all know the story: Lizzie Borden may or may not have taken an ax (okay, a hatchet) and given her mother (okay, stepmother) forty whacks (okay, nineteen). We know for sure that there were two deaths, and a lot of blood. But something sprung to life the day of those brutal double murders: the Lizzie Borden industry. For the very special tenth episode of Criminal Broads, let’s dive into the wild and endlessly enduring legend of alleged ax murderess Lizzie Borden, tackling her not as a killer, but as a cultural touchstone. We’ll cover the crimes themselves, but also the myths, misinformation, and weird products that have sprung up around the Lizzie Borden biz. Today, you can buy a pair of Lizzie Borden earrings, watch a Lizzie Borden rock opera, see a couple of Lizzie Borden-themed horror movies, go to a Lizzie Borden ballet, buy a Lizzie Borden Candle, drink a Lizzie Borden Cocktail, and stay at the Lizzie Borden B&B—but the one thing you can never, ever do is know exactly what Lizzie Borden was thinking on August 4, 1892. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

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