Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is an incredibly rich piece of gothic horror, exploring some crucial themes that remain topical in the modern era. The story is loosely based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, which is known for its examination of female Sєxuality and gender roles in contemporary society. One of the main ways this manifests in Nosferatu is through the relationship between Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) and Friedrich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). They’re two of Nosferatu‘s best characters, and their dynamic unlocks a key motif of the story.

This complex character work and thematic depth are what makes Nosferatu one of Robert Eggers’ best movies to date. It’s such an engaging and terrifying piece of horror that manages not only to scare the audience but make them consider why they’re frightened and what this says about their own atтιтudes towards the world. Friedrich and Ellen are characters who often clash because of their conflicting beliefs about society, and the film’s true villain is merely a manifestation of this social dissonance.

Ellen Is A Woman Friedrich Doesn’t Understand, & He Worries About She Will Affect His Wife & Daughters

Ellen Represents A New Kind Of Dangerous Femininity

The dynamic between Friedrich and Ellen is one of Nosferatu‘s most underrated aspects, and it’s also something that Eggers prioritizes in comparison to the other adaptations of this story. The film’s exploration of female autonomy and Sєxuality offers its most astute writing, and this really comes into play through Ellen’s relationship with the men in her life. Both Friedrich and Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) lead their lives through science and reason, which often brings them into conflict with Ellen’s supernatural history and her relationship with Count Orlokm (Bill Skarsgård).

In particular, it’s Friedrich who struggles to separate Ellen from the supernatural forces at play around her. He’s concerned that her “unfeminine” behavior will affect his traditional domestic lifestyle, corrupting his wife and daughters. This causes an obvious divide between the two families, and it’s a very poignant way of developing the original novel’s commentary on gender roles and how women are perceived in society. Ellen’s rebellious nature makes her a threat to contemporary family values, and Friedrich can’t allow that to bleed into his own domestic life.

Ellen & Anna’s Relationship Stokes Friedrich’s Anxiety

The Traditional Husband Is Suspicious Of Their Friendship

There’s also an element of jealousy that poisons Ellen and Friedrich’s dynamic, as the former has a very strong bond with Anna (Emma Corrin), which likely predates her marriage to Friedrich. The relationship between these three characters is among the few major changes in Eggers’ Nosferatu from Stoker’s Dracula, but these alterations work to elaborate on the themes. Ellen’s loving relationship with Anna is another way for her to subvert contemporary gender roles, giving both a kind of freedom from domestic life that wasn’t expected of women in this era.

Instead, women were supposed to prioritize their husbands above all else, and Friedrich suspects that Ellen’s friendship with Anna may be threatening their marriage. It’s a very subtle detail in the overall story, but it’s an excellent way of stoking the flames between these characters and giving them even more reasons to distrust one another.

What It Means That Friedrich Loses His Family (Sort Of) Because Of Their Connection To The Hutters

Nosferatu Has A Very Complex Message Hidden In Its Ending

Ultimately, in another major diversion from Stoker’s original text, Ellen ends up being partially responsible for the deaths of Friedrich’s entire family. This is perhaps the most shocking part of Nosferatu‘s ending, not least because it seemingly condemns Ellen for breaking free of social constraints — which seems like a very backward message. However, that’s not what Eggers is suggesting at all, as the Hardings’ deaths could ultimately have been prevented if Friedrich had been more trusting of Ellen and not immediately damned her for being an autonomous woman.

The complex dynamic between Ellen and Friedrich never takes center stage in Nosferatu, but it’s always lurking in the back of the narrative and quietly influencing events. It ties neatly into the story’s other themes, such as the conflict between science and magic, condemning Ellen to always be ᴀssociated with the world of “evil” because of her supernatural connections and inability to adhere to what was expected of women in Victorian London. It’s small details like this that make Nosferatu one of the best horror remakes ever, building on the foundations set in place by previous versions of the story.