Geillis Duncan returned to Outlander in the penultimate episode of season 3 and was introduced in a goat blood bath.
When Young Ian Murray met his captor, he likely wasn’t expecting to see what he did. Geillis Duncan Abernathy sat in a bath of blood, shocking the teenager considerably. She quickly pointed out that it was the blood of a goat, but that did nothing to quite change the shock.
During the “Inside the World” feature at the end of the episode, Matthew B. Roberts explained the blood bath came from Dracula. However, there is a real historical element to this blood bath that is easily overlooked: the story of Countess Elizabeth Bathory.
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The fact and fiction of Countess Elizabeth Bathory
Elizabeth Bathory is known as one of the world’s most sadistic female serial killers. In fictional tales, she is viewed as a vampire, only overshadowed by the legendary Dracula. The Hungarian countess’ story is a mixture of fact and fiction. At times it’s hard to know where the fact ends and the fiction begins.
What is known is that she had a tendency to kill young virgin girls. Original stories involved of sadistic torture against young slave girls or peasants in the local area, eventually with the gentry sending their girls to Elizabeth to learn good manners. Eventually the story adapted to Elizabeth bathing in the blood of the girls to maintain her youthful appearance.
There were also stories of her drinking the blood for a youthful look. It’s easy to see why she was considered a vampire.
Why Geillis would bathe in blood
Considering Elizabeth Bathory lived in the 1500s, it would be understandable if Geillis had heard of the stories and chosen to bathe in blood. After all, during the episode she explains that she bathes in blood for the proteins and iron. She would know from her 1960s knowledge that protein and iron are good for the body and for a youthful appearance. She would bathe in the blood to soak the proteins and irons directly through her skin.
While Roberts may have used the idea of Dracula at first, there’s no denying that there are stories of real people at play. Elizabeth Bathory was my first thought when seeing Geillis in the blood bath.
Blood bath and TV tropes
The use of evil people bathing in blood baths is a popular TV trope. It’s commonly linked to the idea of vampirism and immoralities. Blood is linked to life forces, so is often used for sacrifices and to rejuvenate life in evil.
When vampirism isn’t used, those seen in blood baths will often be involved in the occult in some way. This certainly links to Geillis, who is considered a white witch and a dangerous woman in Jamaica. She is using virgin boys for sacrificial elements and will kill to get what she wants.
Next: Does Claire really buy a slave in Jamaica on Outlander?
Did you know about the real use of blood baths in history? Why did Geillis choose blood for her youthful appearance? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Outlander continues with the season 3 finale on Sunday at 8/7c on Starz.