Identity of Jack the Ripper: Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

The identity of the Whitechapel murderer is a contestable topic based on eyewitness accounts and police reports. Over time, key arguments have emerged in published literature that suggest that Jack the Ripper was a sociopath and was more than likely a surgeon based on the injuries of his victims. However, these arguments have been highly contested throughout history, especially as more evidence has appeared and analysed through the use of modern technology.

Source 1 Citation:

Begg, P. (2005). Jack the Ripper: the definitive history (2nd ed). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unda/reader.action?docID=1441812

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Annotation (100-200 words):

Within the text, Begg describes the mannerisms and background of the suspects of Jack the Ripper. Begg doesn’t aim to identify who Jack the Ripper was, but rather acknowledges the theories of his identity and the reasons for his significance. Begg uses the historical background and ideas developed over time by individuals to intrigue the audience in the mysterious identity of Jack the Ripper. The text is useful to my topic, as Begg provides background information of each suspect. This allows me to develop an idea of the potential motives of each suspect. This source is limited, as it does not provide an analysis of who Jack the Ripper was most likely to be, but instead discusses the women and suspects involved. This source will help establish my research by providing a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances and historical context of East London. This text also provides a different perspective on who the suspects were and provide detailed information concerning the victims as well.

Source 2 Citation:

Knight, A & Watson, K. D. (2017). Was Jack the Ripper a slaughterman? Human-animal violence and the world’s most infamous serial killer. Animals. 7(4), 1-12. doi: 10.3390/ani7040030

Annotation (100-200 words):

Knight and Watson focus on the surgical skills of Jack the Ripper. Both authors conclude that Jack the Ripper was more likely a slaughterman, rather than a surgeon contrary to popular belief. Knight and Watson identify within Animals that the knife techniques used on the five victims were unlike the skills used within professional surgical training of the Victorian era. Through the identification of unusual surgical methods, Knight and Watson conclude through evidence derived from mortuaries, police reports, and photographs that Jack the Ripper was not a surgeon. The information that is concluded within this article will be quite useful within my topic, as it produces a different perspective of who Jack the Ripper was. This source also supports other sources in stating the location of each murder and the witness accounts as reported by local police of the time. This source is limited, as the information does not compare suspects to the profile of Jack the Ripper and does not attempt to pinpoint any suspects. This source supports the overlying thesis of the essay, as it contests Jack the Ripper’s surgical abilities and develops the serial killer's profile.

Source 3 Citation:

Adam, D. (2019, March). Does a new genetic analysis finally reveal the identity of Jack the Ripper?, Science. Retrieved from https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/does-new-genetic-analysis-finally-reveal-identity-jack-ripper

Annotation (100-200 words):

Within the article, Adam links the identity of the Whitechapel murderer to genetic evidence discovered on a shawl found beside Catherine Eddowes. The author uses DNA evidence gained from forensic examinations to provide information about a suspect’s link to a Jack the Ripper crime scene. Adam describes the DNA evidence found on the shawl and links this to one of the main suspects living relatives. However, due to privacy, the family is unable to be revealed to the public, causing this source to be quite limited. The author also implies that other researches do not agree with the reliability of the genetic data, as it can only eliminate suspects rather than name specific individuals. This journal article will be of use within my research topic as Adam discusses the analysis of genetic testing of physical evidence such as letters linked to cases surrounding Jack the Ripper. This article will be the main source of research within my topic, but instead will provide an understanding of the genetic analysis in identifying Jack the Ripper.

Source 4 Citation:

Lister, K., Milne-Smith., Heijden, M. V. D., Colpus, E. (2020). The five: the untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper, Women’s History Review, 1-6. DOI: 10.1080/09612025.2020.1720092

Annotation (100-200 words):

Within the article, Lister et al reviews the lives of the victims of Jack the Ripper before prior to their deaths. The authors briefly describe the employment status and home life of each victim by providing an overview of Hallie Rubenhold's (2019) book The Five: the untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper. This article discusses Rubenhold’s priorities in recognising each victim before their death to develop an understanding of who they were as women in the Victorian era. This article is useful, as it describes who Jack the Ripper's victims were and the events that eventually led to their deaths. This text, however, does not provide a discussion linking to the identity of Jack the Ripper and only produces a summary of Rubenhold’s (2019) book and her reasons for writing the text. This article will not be used primarily in the research of my topic, as in order to develop a better understanding of Jack the Ripper’s victims, noting the original text will be more beneficial to my topic.

Source 5 Citation:

Louhelainen, J., & Miller, D. (2019). Forensic investigations of a shawl linked to the “Jack the Ripper” murders, Journal of Forensic Sciences, 65 (1), 1-9. DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14038

Annotation (100-200 words):

Louhelainen and Miller explain the process and outcome of the genetic analysis of the remaining evidence involved with the Whitechapel murder cases. The article discusses the techniques used to find and analyse cells and DNA on a shawl found beside one of the victims. The authors explain the results of the genetics and how this links to the suspects of the Leather Apron (Jack the Ripper). The article is quite useful as the forensic evidence identify who the shawl most likely belonged to and the physical profile of the individuals linked to the case. The article has limitations, however, as it does not aim to identify Jack the Ripper, but instead, describe his basic profile. This article will be used to develop my research topic by providing genetic evidence of Jack the Ripper’s profile. This source supports my thesis statement through the use of modern technology to examine the physical profile of Jack the Ripper, developing key arguments about his profile.

Source 6 Citation:

Gray, D. D. (2013). London’s shadows: The dark side of the Victorian city. (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Annotation (100-200 words):

Within this e-book, Gray describes the conditions and life of each class system within Victorian London during the Whitechapel murders. Gray intends to illustrate Victoria London as a constantly evolving period as seen through the evolution of the press and police force. The author intends to differentiate the East end and the West End through social differences and historical background. This e-book will be useful within my research as it indicates the reasons for the Whitechapel murders to take place in the East End of London, rather than the West End. This source also demonstrates the significance of Jack the Ripper through social change and the evolution of industries such as the detective force. However, the e-book is limited, as it does not identify who Jack the Ripper was or link the main suspects to key arguments surrounding the murders. This source will not form my underlying research but will instead develop my understanding of the background information of the East End.

Source 7 Citation:

Wilson, L. (2012). Criminal major case management: Persons of interest priority assessment tool (poipat). (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Annotation (100-200 words):

Wilson reviews evidence gained from the canonical five’s murder cases and uses an assessment tool to identify who out of the main suspects was most likely to identify as Jack the Ripper. Wilson uses a variety of evidence from the victim’s cases and develops a criminal profile for each suspect to identify Jack the Ripper. Each suspect is compared to the assumed profile of the Whitechapel murderer, identifying the lifestyle, employment, and criminal history of each individual. This text is useful to my topic, it identifying key arguments regarding Jack the Ripper’s profile and aims to identify the most likely suspect. This source, however, is limited as it does not provide a basic overview of the background of Victoria London. Watson’s e-book will form as a key component of my research as it supports my overall thesis statement, developing key contested arguments regarding Jack the Ripper's profile.

Source 8 Citation:

Walkowitz, J. R. (1982). Jack the Ripper and the myth of male violence, Feminist studies, 8(3), 542-574. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/3177712

Annotation (100-200 words):

Within this article, Walkowitz describes the social division and division of gender within Victorian society prior to and following the Whitechapel murder. Walkowitz describes the influence of individuals of high power within the social hierarchy and the impact they had on people within the lower classes. The article aims to illustrate the exploitation of media upon men regarding violence towards women, as influenced by the Jack the Ripper cases. This article is useful as the author includes various propaganda posters aimed towards women and their safety and describes the key argument of women’s safety during the Victorian era. This source is limited, however, not aiming to describe the contested profile of Jack the Ripper or the primary suspects. This article will help to develop my research, as this source supports the underlying thesis of the topic regarding the contestability of the key argument of women’s safety.

Source 9 Citation:

Warkentin, E. (2010). “Jack the Ripper” strikes again: the “Ipswich Ripper” and the “vice girls” he killed, Feminist media studies, 10(1), 35-49. DOI: 10.1080/14680770903457097

Annotation (100-200 words):

Warkentin discusses the impact of Jack the Ripper on women in the Victorian era and the treatment of the women murdered by him. Warkentin has a feminist approach within the article, discussing the cultural narrative shaped around the Jack the Ripper cases. The article draws on numerous case studies to develop the idea of ‘female behaviour’ regarding the Victorian era, rather the safety of women. The article is useful to my topic, the text providing me with a comprehension of the varied reactions to Jack the Ripper and the treatment of women following this. This article, however, is limited, as it only provides an understanding of women and feminism during the Victorian era, rather than aiming to identify Jack the Ripper. Warkentin’s article supports my thesis by providing a different perspective of the Whitechapel murderer cases as seen through the point of view of women and the attitudes developed towards them as a result. This source will not provide the main foundation of my research, as the information does not focus on the key arguments surrounding the identity of Jack the Ripper. However, this article produces a contested opinion of the treatment of women during this period, helping develop my research.

Source 10 Citation:

Gray, D. (2018). Exorcising a demon?: Why history needs to engage with the Whitechapel murders and dispel the myth of ‘Jack the Ripper’, Humanities, 7(2), 1-10. DOI: 10.3390/h7020052

Annotation (100-200 words):

Gray discusses the mannerisms reflected in society over time as a result of the way the Whitechapel murders have been perceived. The article aims to describe the impact of the Whitechapel murders on the entertainment industry and how society has ‘glorified’ Jack the Ripper for entertainment purposes. This article is useful as it showcases the evolution of women's rights and the treatment of women by society in the Victorian era. This source, however, is limited as it does not aim to identify who Jack the Ripper was or link his identity to key arguments. This article instead discusses the exploitation of the Whitechapel murder cases by the media. Gray’s article will develop the research for my topic by providing an understanding of the way people have reacted to the murder cases over time and how women were treated as a result.

References

1. Adam, D. (2019, March). Does a new genetic analysis finally reveal the identity of Jack the Ripper?, Science. Retrieved from https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/does-new-genetic-analysis-finally-reveal-identity-jack-ripper
2. Begg, P. (2005). Jack the Ripper: the definitive history (2nd ed). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unda/reader.action?docID=1441812
3. Gray, D. (2018). Exorcising a demon?: Why history needs to engage with the Whitechapel murders and dispel the myth of ‘Jack the Ripper’, Humanities, 7(2), 1-10. DOI: 10.3390/h7020052
4. Gray, D. D. (2013). London’s shadows: The dark side of the Victorian city. (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
5. Knight, A & Watson, K. D. (2017). Was Jack the Ripper a slaughterman? Human-animal violence and the world’s most infamous serial killer. Animals. 7(4), 1-12. DOI: 10.3390/ani7040030
6. Lister, K., Milne-Smith., Heijden, M. V. D., Colpus, E. (2020). The five: the untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper, Women’s History Review, 1-6. DOI: 10.1080/09612025.2020.1720092
7. Louhelainen, J., & Miller, D. (2019). Forensic investigations of a shawl linked to the “Jack the Ripper” murders, Journal of Forensic Sciences, 65 (1), 1-9. DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14038
8. Walkowitz, J. R. (1982). Jack the Ripper and the myth of male violence, Feminist studies, 8(3), 542-574. DOI: 10.2307/3177712
9. Warkentin, E. (2010). “Jack the Ripper” strikes again: the “Ipswich Ripper” and the “vice girls” he killed, Feminist media studies, 10(1), 35-49. DOI: 10.1080/14680770903457097
10. Wilson, L. (2012). Criminal major case management: Persons of interest priority assessment tool (poipat). (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Bibliography

1. Adam, David. “Does a New Genetic Analysis Finally Reveal the Identity of Jack the Ripper?” Science, March 2019. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/does-new-genetic-analysis-finally-reveal-identity-jack-ripper.
2. Begg, Paul. Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History. 2nd edition. New York: Routledge, 2005. Proquest Ebook Central.
3. Gray, D. “Exorcising a Demon?: Why History Needs to Engage with the Whitechapel Murders and Dispel the Myth of ‘Jack the Ripper’,” Humanities 7, no. 2 (2018): 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3390/h7020052.
4. Gray, Drew. D. London’s Shadows: The Dark Side of the Victorian City. 1st ed. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2013. Proquest Ebook Central.
5. Knight, Andrew, and Katherine D. Watson. “Was Jack the Ripper a slaughterman? Human-Animal Violence and the World’s Most Infamous Serial Killer.” Animals 7, no. 4 (2017): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani7040030.
6. Lister, Kate, Amy Milne-Smith, Manon Van Dr Heijden, and Eve Colpus. “The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper.” Women’s History Review, (2020): 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1080/09612025.2020.1720092.
7. Louhelainen, Jari, and David Miller. “Forensic Investigations of a Shawl Linked to the “Jack the Ripper” Murders,” Journal of Forensic Sciences 65, no. 1 (2019): 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.14038.
8. Walkowitz, Judith. R. “Jack the Ripper and the Myth of Male Violence,” Feminist studies 8, no. 3 (1982): 542-574. DOI: 10.2307/3177712.
9. Warkentin, Elyssa. ““Jack the Ripper” Strikes Again: the “Ipswich Ripper” and the “vice girls” he Killed,” Feminist media studies 10, no. 1 (2010): 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680770903457097.
10. Wilson, Larry. Criminal Major Case Management: Persons of Interest Priority Assessment Tool (POIPAT). Baton Rouge: CRC Press LLC, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central.