In the 1980s, London was terrified by a series of horrible murders. Nowadays, after more than 120 years since the crimes, the stories about Jack the Ripper are still famous. Jack the Ripper is the name that the local press gave to the author of the crimes back then. This nick name first appeared in a letter that someone who claimed to be the murderer wrote. However, Jack the Ripper is the perfect name to describe the way in which the crimes were committed. Five female prostitutes were murdered in a brutal and cruel way by Jack the Ripper. Their throats were cut and then they were mutilated. As Jack the Ripper removed some of their organs, it is said that he must have had some kind of medical and surgical knowledge.

The canonical victims of Jack the Ripper were Marry Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly. The first body was discovered by the London police on August 31, 1988. The following victims were discovered on September 8, September 30 and November 9. The whole town was freaking out and people were beginning to avoid as much as they could stepping a foot in the Whitechapel district. Jack the Ripper was never caught by the police, although many suspects were identified. However, his story became extremely popular. There are many reasons behind the notoriety that Jack the Ripper gained all over the world. First, there is the fact that the case of the five murders held the front page of all the newspapers back then.

The press took advantage of every possible track to make up new stories and scenarios. Daily updates were provided to the readers about Jack the Ripper, so he became a notorious media figure. Then, another reason behind Jack the Ripper’s popularity is the London area where the crimes took place. The district started to be perceived as one of the most dangerous places in England, where villains and burglars felt like home. In the eyes of the Victorian society, the Whitechapel district was the vivid image, reflection and personification of all the evils happening back then.

Last but not least, Jack the Ripper became the most notorious serial killer in the world because of his name. Many people believe that a journalist gave that name, in order to rise the popularity of the subject and thus to increase the newspaper sales. If this is the case, we may say that he/she succeeded, because Jack the Ripper was turned into an international phenomena. Throughout the years, many stories have been told about Jack the Ripper. The murderer even became the subject of movies and comic books, and while more than a century has passed since the hideous crimes, people still have creeps when they hear the name of Jack the Ripper.