T.E. W. (terez93) reviewed The Turn of the Screw: A Norton Critical Edition (Norton Critical Editions) on + 345 more book reviews
Confession: I didn't read all the critical reception, which comprised at least half of this book, as the story itself is rather short. I also have to say that, although I love all things Gothic, this one just didn't live up to expectations. Perhaps I shouldn't be all that surprised; I've never cared much for stories which began their lives as "serials," as they seem to be made up as they go along. This one had more substance than most, but it still just didn't hit the mark for me. The whole story, in fact, is presented in something resembling a dreamlike state, which some find intriguing, but it just left too much unsaid for me.
And, there were some other aspects of it I just didn't like. First, as some other reviewers, GR and others, have noted, there was a weird, almost perverse undercurrent which just irked me, particularly in the dealings with the children. The events surrounding them are somewhat eerie, or perhaps unsettling, but not really sinister to my way of thinking. There is the question of whether the children are "bad seeds," or perhaps under the influence of something otherworldly, but much is left to the reader's imagination, which was also disappointing. Some say that the intentional vagueness is what makes the story so masterful, in that it allows for multiple interpretations, but for me, there was simply too much left unresolved by the author.
The premise is that on Christmas Eve, a traditional time in Victorian England for sitting around the fire and reading or telling ghost stories, as Americans would at Halloween or around a campfire, an unnamed gentleman reads from a manuscript left by his sister's deceased governess, who was reportedly once hired by a wealthy man who became the guardian of his niece and nephew after the death of both their parents. The man himself owns a great house in Essex, although he spends most of his time in London.
From the outset, it is clear that he wants no active role in the upbringing of the two children. The children thus live with and are cared for almost exclusively by his country house staff. Miles, the ten-year-old boy, was at least initially shipped off to a boarding school while his sister Flora was tended by the housekeeping staff. The uncle then engages a new governess, giving her almost exclusive custody over the children and, curiously, instructs her not to bother him with communications of any sort. She arrives just as the school year ends, and Miles returns, but with surprising news. It seems that he was expelled from the school, with no explanation.
In addition, soon after her arrival, the governess begins to see mysterious figures roaming the grounds of the large estate, who, seemingly, are not seen by the other household staff, resulting in the governess increasingly beginning to question her sanity. She also learns from the main housekeeper that two former employees, who were apparently carrying on some kind of tryst, recently died.
They had spent quite a lot of time with the two children, however... and, the governess believes, may still be communicating with them, especially after Flora disappears and is found on the bank of a nearby lake. She is taken away from the estate on account of her disturbing behavior. And, spoiler alert: something even more disturbing occurs with Miles, who may likewise have been communicating with what the governess believes to have been the spirit of one of the two former estate employees.
Despite its brevity, "The Turn of the Screw" has definitely left a legacy. In fact, it was described by noted horror author Stephen King, in a 1983 survey, as one of the only two great supernatural works of horror in a century (the other being "The Haunting of Hill House" (1959), specifically because, in his words, they both featured "secrets best left untold and things left best unsaid."
That said, "The Turn of the Screw" is definitely a product of its time, when people began to demonstrate an enthusiastic interest in the paranormal. The author James was apparently well-acquainted with the tenets of spiritualism, which advocated the notion that there was life after death, and that, contrary to Christian notions of the afterlife, one could, through mediums and seances, contact the dead.
As noted previously, James was contracted by "Collier's Weekly" to write a twelve-part ghost story in late 1897. The story thus began as a serial in "Collier's Weekly" and ran from Jan. 27-Apr. 16, 1898. In October of that year, it was published as a novella. It's been popular ever since, until it has reportedly become the most analyzed work of horror fiction in history. Some have claimed that it had its origins in a ghost story told to James by an archbishop of Canterbury during a visit. He apparently took inspiration for the story's setting from his own home - having just signed a twenty-year lease (!) of a property in a town called Rye (rather than Bly, the fictional town where the story is set), in East Sussex.
"Turn" apparently came on the heels of a disastrous debut of a theatrical production which was so loathed that it closed almost immediately when James was reportedly booed off the stage. James's magnum opus was soon to come, however, in the form of this short story which became one of the most well-known horror stories of all time.
It has undergone many adaptations over the years, including an opera which premiered in 1954, a ballet production in 1980 and another in 1999, and, ironically enough, multiple theatrical productions. There have also been several film adaptations, in English and other languages, most famously one entitled "The Innocents" in 1961. Most notably, however, the wildly popular TV show "Dark Shadows" featured a year-long story line based on "the Turn of the Screw," where ghosts Quentin and Beth possessed the two children living in the mansion.
Due to its popularity, it seem that reinterpretations will continue for some time. There is something to be said for the rather novel idea at the time that ghosts were corrupting children, historically seen as innocents in the Victorian era. It may not seem such a transgression for people of our day, but the whole concept was indeed a novel "turn" for Victorians of the late nineteenth century.
As it's such an influential classic, it's well worth the read. The language is beautiful, even if it's somewhat slow in parts. It is overall a good story, even if it may not be considered horror in the traditional sense in our day.
And, there were some other aspects of it I just didn't like. First, as some other reviewers, GR and others, have noted, there was a weird, almost perverse undercurrent which just irked me, particularly in the dealings with the children. The events surrounding them are somewhat eerie, or perhaps unsettling, but not really sinister to my way of thinking. There is the question of whether the children are "bad seeds," or perhaps under the influence of something otherworldly, but much is left to the reader's imagination, which was also disappointing. Some say that the intentional vagueness is what makes the story so masterful, in that it allows for multiple interpretations, but for me, there was simply too much left unresolved by the author.
The premise is that on Christmas Eve, a traditional time in Victorian England for sitting around the fire and reading or telling ghost stories, as Americans would at Halloween or around a campfire, an unnamed gentleman reads from a manuscript left by his sister's deceased governess, who was reportedly once hired by a wealthy man who became the guardian of his niece and nephew after the death of both their parents. The man himself owns a great house in Essex, although he spends most of his time in London.
From the outset, it is clear that he wants no active role in the upbringing of the two children. The children thus live with and are cared for almost exclusively by his country house staff. Miles, the ten-year-old boy, was at least initially shipped off to a boarding school while his sister Flora was tended by the housekeeping staff. The uncle then engages a new governess, giving her almost exclusive custody over the children and, curiously, instructs her not to bother him with communications of any sort. She arrives just as the school year ends, and Miles returns, but with surprising news. It seems that he was expelled from the school, with no explanation.
In addition, soon after her arrival, the governess begins to see mysterious figures roaming the grounds of the large estate, who, seemingly, are not seen by the other household staff, resulting in the governess increasingly beginning to question her sanity. She also learns from the main housekeeper that two former employees, who were apparently carrying on some kind of tryst, recently died.
They had spent quite a lot of time with the two children, however... and, the governess believes, may still be communicating with them, especially after Flora disappears and is found on the bank of a nearby lake. She is taken away from the estate on account of her disturbing behavior. And, spoiler alert: something even more disturbing occurs with Miles, who may likewise have been communicating with what the governess believes to have been the spirit of one of the two former estate employees.
Despite its brevity, "The Turn of the Screw" has definitely left a legacy. In fact, it was described by noted horror author Stephen King, in a 1983 survey, as one of the only two great supernatural works of horror in a century (the other being "The Haunting of Hill House" (1959), specifically because, in his words, they both featured "secrets best left untold and things left best unsaid."
That said, "The Turn of the Screw" is definitely a product of its time, when people began to demonstrate an enthusiastic interest in the paranormal. The author James was apparently well-acquainted with the tenets of spiritualism, which advocated the notion that there was life after death, and that, contrary to Christian notions of the afterlife, one could, through mediums and seances, contact the dead.
As noted previously, James was contracted by "Collier's Weekly" to write a twelve-part ghost story in late 1897. The story thus began as a serial in "Collier's Weekly" and ran from Jan. 27-Apr. 16, 1898. In October of that year, it was published as a novella. It's been popular ever since, until it has reportedly become the most analyzed work of horror fiction in history. Some have claimed that it had its origins in a ghost story told to James by an archbishop of Canterbury during a visit. He apparently took inspiration for the story's setting from his own home - having just signed a twenty-year lease (!) of a property in a town called Rye (rather than Bly, the fictional town where the story is set), in East Sussex.
"Turn" apparently came on the heels of a disastrous debut of a theatrical production which was so loathed that it closed almost immediately when James was reportedly booed off the stage. James's magnum opus was soon to come, however, in the form of this short story which became one of the most well-known horror stories of all time.
It has undergone many adaptations over the years, including an opera which premiered in 1954, a ballet production in 1980 and another in 1999, and, ironically enough, multiple theatrical productions. There have also been several film adaptations, in English and other languages, most famously one entitled "The Innocents" in 1961. Most notably, however, the wildly popular TV show "Dark Shadows" featured a year-long story line based on "the Turn of the Screw," where ghosts Quentin and Beth possessed the two children living in the mansion.
Due to its popularity, it seem that reinterpretations will continue for some time. There is something to be said for the rather novel idea at the time that ghosts were corrupting children, historically seen as innocents in the Victorian era. It may not seem such a transgression for people of our day, but the whole concept was indeed a novel "turn" for Victorians of the late nineteenth century.
As it's such an influential classic, it's well worth the read. The language is beautiful, even if it's somewhat slow in parts. It is overall a good story, even if it may not be considered horror in the traditional sense in our day.
