The governess in ‘The Turn of the Screw’ (with spoilers)

11 replies

FlabCrab · 31/12/2021 12:19

I’ve just read The Turn of the Screw, without knowing the story beforehand.

Is the governess mad!? Did she kill Miles? I thought it was a simple ghost story all along, then it finished and I thought ‘….hang on..!’

Thoughts?

OP posts:

Original poster

FlabCrab · 31/12/2021 15:41

Anyone?? :)

OP posts:

ISaySteadyOn · 31/12/2021 15:43

Long time since I read it but I think the answers are yes and no. I think she wanted to play out a Jane Eyre type fantasy and got too deep. But I don't think she killed Miles.

TonTonMacoute · 31/12/2021 17:22

This is why I think it's the best ghost story ever, because you just cannot be sure if it's all in her head or not!

It's all very well believing that she didn't kill Miles, but the horror is that actually she might have, while not being in sound mind. What else accounts for his death if it isn't the ghost of Quint?

When you read-read it the case for the view that she is imagining it all becomes even stronger.

The film adaptation The Innocents with Deborah Kerr is very old fashioned now (especially the cut-glass accents) but I still think it is the best one, very spooky and atmospheric even though it's in black and white.

TonTonMacoute · 31/12/2021 17:23

*re-read

Gremlinsateit · 01/01/2022 00:16

Yes and no - I think you’re meant to be left wondering and with a horrible suspicion that there were never any ghosts.

Rhannion · 01/01/2022 00:23

It’s left up to you if you believe in the ghosts or is it all in her mind. Did Miles have a fit or was it her smothering him? It’s up to us.

Rhannion · 01/01/2022 00:26

What I can’t get is how the children’s uncle doesn’t care at all about them.

Tisaxon · 01/01/2022 01:15

It’s brilliantly and unsettlingly ambiguous. A lot of critical ink has been spent on whether the ghosts are projections of the governess’s own hysteria or repressed sexuality, or are intended by the text as ‘ real’ entities, but it’s pretty clear from the revisions James made to it that his main concern was to be ambiguous.

Stealthfart · 01/01/2022 10:23

Has anyone read the Kindle version? Some of the Amazon reviews say the scanning program they’ve used to Kindle it has made it unreadable. After my dodgy 1984 experience I wondered if anyone has tried it or whether I should just buy it on paperback?

Nathlash · 01/01/2022 17:58

@Stealthfart

It’s available as a free download in a number of formats on Project Gutenberg, so I wouldn’t bother paying for it on Kindle.

MagratLancre · 08/01/2022 18:24

It's brilliant isn't it as you can't be sure! She's an unreliable narrator, I love this novel!

Flip