Who Is The Protagonist In The Turn Of The Screw

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The turn of the screw The turn if the screw is ghost story written at Victorian age to entertain people through literature and drama. This book is written in both a ghost story and psychological study. Henry James maintains this due to skilful ambiguity. Many critics have taken liberty to present their views. However, Dr Edmund Watson essay “The ambiguity of Henry James” talks about the governess being “neurotic case of sexual, and the ghosts are not real ghosts but hallucination of the governess” (Watson). The book has many scenes and phrases which talks about Dr Watson points and tell the readers that the governess is unreliable narrator and hallucinating. The governess in the “Turn of the screw” was highly unreliable narrator as the story is written in her own words. This helps the reader to understand her character much better. Governess is hardly a sympatric figure. She was portrayed as arrogant, over dramatic and sexually obsessed with her employer. Upon arriving at Bly she arrogantly exclaims “I felt quite sure she would presently like me. It was part of what I already liked Mrs Grose herself for, the pleasure I could see her feel in my admiration and wonder”…show more content…
She knew that having sexual affections towards children uncle is sinful and dark. She tells Mrs Grose she got “carried away” in London by children uncle. The “carried away” has sexual connotation which proves she has sexual feelings towards the children uncle. This governess, knowing these feelings are sinful might be hallucinating and having phantoms. The governess is the only person in “The turn of the screw” who actually see the ghosts, there. This also questions the reliability of the narrator as no other character admits seeing them. Moreover, her hallucination actually effects innocent Miles and Flora

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