The Turn of the Screw

by James, Henry

• ISBN13: 9780486266848
• ISBN10: 0486266842
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1991-01-01
• Publisher: Dover Publications

Summary

This volume presents the text of the New York Edition of James's classic 1898 short novel along with critical essays that read "The Turn of the Screw" from contemporary reader-response, psychoanalytic, gender, and Marxist perspectives. An additional essay demonstrates how several critical perspectives can be combined. As in the first edition, the text and essays are complemented by biographical and critical introductions, bibliographies, and a glossary of critical and theoretical terms. Two of the six essays are new to the second edition, as is a selection of cultural documents and illustrations.

Author Biography

American author Henry James (1843–1916) spent most of his career in Europe and ultimately adopted British citizenship. A prolific writer of criticism, biography, and travel-related books and articles, James is known above all for his highly influential novels, which frequently explore the clash of Old and New World cultures.

Table of Contents

The turn of the screw : the complete text in cultural context
Introduction : biographical and historical contexts	p. 3
Cultural documents and illustrations	p. 121
Photograph of Henry James and William James	p. 122
Children and servants	p. 123
It is the worst thing in the world to leave children with servants	p. 123
The Victorian governess	p. 128
The introduction	p. 128
The occupation of governess is sought merely through necessity	p. 128
Many were the daughters of clergymen	p. 133
There is a strong prejudice against governesses	p. 134
She is perfectly incompetent for her task	p. 135
Our governess left us, dear brother	p. 137
Apparitions and demonic possession	p. 139
Illustration	p. 139
Four illustrations	p. 140
A sufficient number of clear and well-attested cases	p. 144
Common-sense persists in recognizing ... a single natural group	p. 146
The haunted house	p. 149
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