It is the year 1432 in France. A 12-year-old boy, who has remained anonymous to this day, is hung by the neck from a metal hook in the castle of a recognizable stranger. Her innocent body trembles as she tries to push herself up while gasping for air. He constantly retches and chokes on blood, which now accumulates under his feet. Approaching him is a proud man of great elegance and beauty. He has bob hair and a short cut bear and mustache (Wolf). Around the man there is a group of close-knit men who appear to be the accomplices of the man who led the boy (Wolf) there. The man then hesitantly undresses underneath and openly displays his erectile state. He grabs the boy and violently rapes him by pulsing back and forth (Wolf). When he is done feeling pleasure, he puts the child down and consoles him from what has happened. Close to death the man rapes him once again and then kills him (Wolf). The following tale is only the first of many hundreds that are about to be committed under one man. His name, which had remained in the hearts of the French for years, would now become the embodiment of all that is evil and impure in this world. After eight years of torture, sodomy and murder, Gilles de Rais would finally confess to countless murders, his motivations and actions through how they occurred. His actions, however, would be the result of several influences that shaped his life. These influences focus on his childhood upbringing, involvement in the war, homosexuality, and French society. They all help justify de Rais' murders and his sadistic nature as a serial killer. There can be many excuses used to justify a single murder. Some may blame self-defense, an act of revenge, or even an accident. A serial k…… half a paper……and dozens and the rate of child disappearances was not something invented. Gilles was most likely involved in most of these crimes, although some may have been exaggerated. Today Gilles is considered a legendary and infamous figure whose life is considered the inspiration for the story of Bluebeard (Wolf). Works Cited[1] Gribben, Mark. "GILLES DE RAIS - The Castle of Horrors - Crime Library on TruTV.com." TruTV.com: Not reality. Actuality. Network. 03 April 2011. .[2] Tian, ​​Stan. "The Emotional Effects of War on Soldiers." Health Guide - Free health items. Network. 03 April 2011. .[3] Lupo, Leonard. Bluebeard, the life and crimes of Gilles De Rais. New York, NY: CN Potter, 1980. Print.