Is Nosferatu a cautionary tale about repression, or an empowering story of feminine defiance? Let’s dive into this gothic nightmare and uncover the terrifying truths behind the fiction.

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) is a chilling reflection of historical oppression, medical horror, and the fear of feminine autonomy. The film’s eerie atmosphere, psychological terror, and feminist themes connect directly to the real-life history of how women were controlled, misdiagnosed, and silenced in the 19th century.

The Ghouls explore Nosferatu through both film analysis and historical context—examining how the gothic horror of Count Orlok reflects societal fears of independent women, medical oppression, and patriarchal control. From Ellen’s supernatural descent to the real-world horrors of hysteria diagnoses, forced medical treatments, and the suppression of female autonomy, Nosferatu becomes a terrifying metaphor for historical and systemic abuse.