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The Turn of the Screw and Other Stories

henry james t.j. lustig

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Whether viewed as a subtle, self-conscious exploration of the haunted house of Victorian culture, filled with echoes of sexual and social unease, or simply as "the most hopelessly evil story we have ever read," The Turn of the Screw is probably the most famous of ghostly tales and certainly the most eerily equivocal. This new edition includes three rarely reprinted ghost stories from the 1890s, Sir Edmund Orme, Owen Wingrave, and The Friends of the Friends, as well as relevant extracts from James's notebooks and journals.

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1937

This edition

Format
336 pages, Paperback
Published
November 19, 1998 by Oxford University Press
ISBN
9780192834041
ASIN
0192834045
Language
English

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About the author

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henry james

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Henry James was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the son of Henry James Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.
He is best known for his novels dealing with the social and marital interplay between émigré Americans, the English, and continental Europeans, such as The Portrait of a Lady. His later works, such as The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove and The Golden Bowl were increasingly experimental. In describing the internal states of mind and social dynamics of his characters, James often wrote in a style in which ambiguous or contradictory motives and impressions were overlaid or juxtaposed in the discussion of a character's psyche. For their unique ambiguity, as well as for other aspects of their composition, his late works have been compared to Impressionist painting.
His novella The Turn of the Screw has garnered a reputation as the most analysed and ambiguous ghost story in the English language and remains his most widely adapted work in other media. He wrote other highly regarded ghost stories, such as "The Jolly Corner".
James published articles and books of criticism, travel, biography, autobiography, and plays. Born in the United States, James largely relocated to Europe as a young man, and eventually settled in England, becoming a British citizen in 1915, a year before his death. James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911, 1912, and 1916. Jorge Luis Borges said "I have visited some literatures of East and West; I have compiled an encyclopedic compendium of fantastic literature; I have translated Kafka, Melville, and Bloy; I know of no stranger work than that of Henry James."

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Rating(4.2 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
gunprismpower
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Malevolence or hysteria?


This short story offers a wealth of interpretations. In the past, it has filled me with terror, yet it can also be regarded as a narrative of female hysteria and warped delusion. James takes the classic English ghost story and gives it a modern twist, such that the gaps and uncertainties in the governess's account are the very essence of the story.


It is ambiguous, malevolent, and a masterful demonstration of tension and the macabre, regardless of where we place the latter. This is likely not to the taste of readers who prefer a linear and uncomplicated narrative. However, it still stands as one of the most approachable introductions to James' notoriously complex prose style.


Despite its complexity, the story manages to draw the reader in and keep them on the edge of their seat. The ambiguity surrounding the events and the governess's state of mind adds an extra layer of intrigue, making it a truly captivating read. Whether we view it as a tale of malevolent spirits or a descent into the governess's own hysteria, there is no denying the power and impact of this short story.

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violroll
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Tediously pompous interminable sentences.

These types of sentences can be a real pain to read and understand. They often seem to go on forever, filled with unnecessary words and complex structures that only serve to make the message more convoluted.

Authors who use such sentences may think they are adding an air of sophistication or importance to their writing, but in reality, they are just making it harder for the reader to get the point.

It is important to remember that clear and concise writing is usually more effective in communicating ideas. By using simple and straightforward sentences, the author can ensure that the reader understands the message without having to wade through a sea of pompous verbiage.

So, the next time you are writing, try to avoid using tediously pompous interminable sentences and instead focus on getting your point across in the simplest and most direct way possible.
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The_Namer
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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**Original Article**: This is a short article. It doesn't have much content. But it can be expanded.

**Expanded Article**:
This is a rather short article.

It indeed doesn't possess an abundance of content.

However, it has the potential to be expanded.

We can add more details, examples, and explanations to make it more comprehensive and engaging.

Perhaps we could explore different aspects related to the topic, offer various perspectives, or provide in-depth analysis.

By doing so, the article would become more valuable and interesting for the readers.

It would no longer be just a brief piece but a more substantial and informative one.

So, let's take the opportunity to expand this article and bring it to life.
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Lastdeadn1
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I'm truly amazed that I read this during my high school days. I often wonder what exactly I gained from it back then. I vividly remember adding it to the "I like this one" list, but beyond that, I'm not entirely sure. After a recent reread, I still placed it on that list, yet I suspect my reasons for doing so have changed significantly.

I've grappled for a long time with my relationship with Henry James. I have a great deal of appreciation and admiration for him, but at times, I do wish he would be more direct and get to the point. He appears to be much more cautious in the three accompanying stories of this edition. And although they all qualify as ghost stories, "Turn of the Screw" is undoubtedly the only one I would label as horrific. However, the horror, in my view, is entirely internal. I don't trust our narrator for a single moment. (I'm afraid I might have felt the same way in high school, as I wasn't an experienced enough reader to realize that I don't necessarily have to trust the narrator.) I believe our narrator desires a ghost story just as much as we do, so she plants the images that will give her the greatest fright, and the true horror lies in the fact that she believes her own narration.

I think there are two ways to approach Henry James. One is to search for his "moral," identify the phrases that support your theory, and compare them with the thousands of other James theorists in print. There is always an abundance of material ripe for analysis. James is nothing if not thorough in his reasoning. The other way is to simply let the words wash over you and carry you along. Even if you feel a bit bogged down by his wordiness, you will emerge from the other end of the paragraph with something approaching an epiphany.
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sonicrosebeam
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I cannot, but I really cannot recommend Orfelin's edition enough. Besides the novel itself and other James's ghost stories, the accompanying texts (the author's and Ognjanović's conversation) as well as the visual supplements (illustrations of James's novel, as well as photographs from the film "The Innocents") complete the reading experience. If there is a book in the Serbian language that best represents James as a horror author, this is it.


"Turn of the Screw" itself may seem a bit outdated today, as it contains all the literary tricks that were perhaps innovative at the end of the 19th century but have been used countless times today. However, it is never bad to return to the old master, especially if the master is. Besides teaching us how easily a story can be told and tension created (one can literally feel the reader's dizziness as it tightens), James teaches us that the punitive reality hidden behind them is scarier than the utopias. In this case, the ghosts are a vivid screen behind which sexual abuse of children is suspected, which confirms that reality is far scarier than fantasy. In fact, Nabokov and "Lolita" owe a lot to James's "Turn of the Screw".


And if it wasn't already clear, buy Orfelin's editions. The love they devote to their editions is amazing and terrifying.
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milkman57
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I was somewhat disappointed with The Turn of the Screw. Generally, I don't struggle with older language, but the style in which the story was told was truly verbose and arduous to endure. I've had a longing to read this story since my youth, perhaps setting my expectations too high. Nevertheless, I did discover that the portrayal of the ghosts and their interactions with people was exquisitely written, with an eerie descriptiveness that was precisely what I had hoped to encounter in this narrative.

The dialogue was disjointed and challenging to follow. I grasped its nature - these women were thinking the same things, yet those thoughts remained unspoken. I understand that this added to the mystery, and there were numerous double meanings throughout the story, heightening the tensions (both sexual and otherwise). However, at times, and I feel a tinge of guilt in admitting this, I simply wished someone would have voiced what they were thinking.

The mystery surrounding whether or not the governess was truly seeing ghosts, I believed, could have been more emphasized. But to be honest, I was content with it; I think I'd prefer to simply assume they were ghosts! It was also a proficient depiction of a class-based society, where certain classes were not supposed to mingle and the consequences that ensued when they did.

I read two out of the other three stories in this edition (omitting the last one due to lack of time) - "The Romance of Certain Old Clothes" and "Friends of Friends". "Old Clothes" was excellent - still maintaining that Henry Jamesian essence of not explicitly stating what everyone is thinking, but executed more subtly, I believe. The ending was a brilliant example of early horror. "Friends of Friends": Eerie. Bizarre. But in terms of storytelling, just average. I think I would have liked to see the second half given more emphasis. Still, it's worth a read on a chilly night by the fire!
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mouthpiece
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Painful. Just painful.

The sentences in this work seem to transform into multi-page epics, leaving me to wonder if perhaps James' typewriter was malfunctioning, causing him to rely solely on commas.

I'm only 20 - 30 pages into Turn of the Screw, and I'm truly making a great effort not to put it down in disgust.

I have to continuously repeat my mantra to myself: "They are classics for a reason. They are classics for a reason."

Surely someone liked them enough for them to remain in print for this long. I simply have to discover what it was that gripped their imagination so strongly.

Perhaps they're a cure for insomnia, as reading them requires such intense concentration and patience.

But I'm determined to persevere and try to understand the allure that these classic works hold for others.

Maybe, just maybe, as I continue reading, I'll have a breakthrough and finally see the beauty and value that lies within.

Until then, I'll keep telling myself that there must be a reason why these books are considered classics.
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Matsu5_
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I cried.

It was a moment of overwhelming emotion that just couldn't be held back. Tears streamed down my face, as if a dam had burst within me.

I don't know exactly what triggered it. Maybe it was the stress of the day, the accumulation of little disappointments, or perhaps a long-suppressed feeling that finally found its way to the surface.

Whatever the reason, crying felt like a release. It was a way for my heart to unburden itself, to let go of the pain and the weight that I had been carrying.

As I cried, I felt a strange sense of relief. The tears seemed to wash away some of the sadness and made me feel a little lighter.

I knew that I couldn't stay in this state forever, but for that moment, I allowed myself to feel the full range of emotions and to let the tears flow freely.

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