Resumo de The Turn Of The Screw

THE TURN OF THE SCREW A novel by Henry James, was written in 1898 as a serial in Collier's Weekly under the title The Two Magics and later compiled.A classic account by an American writer of the turn of the nineteenth century who lived most of his life in Britain. It?s the story of a young governess- the narrator - who is employed to educate Flora and Miles, a brother and sister couple aged eight and ten years respectively. Their parents died accidentally in India and they were left under the guardianship of their uncle who was a bachelor gentleman living in London. The children were sent to Bly, his country estate in Essex. When the Governess arrives to Bly -the country house- she meets adorable Flora and the servant maid Mrs. Grose. The meeting proves intriguing because there seems to be a secret about the circumstances of the death of the prior goveness, Miss. Jessela pretty young woman. Flora is as sweet and innocent as a child can be, a cherub. The boy, Miles arrives from the boarding school on vacation break with a letter from the headmaster; the child has been dismissed from the school for inappropriate behavior and will not be allowed to return. The boy howeveris a perfect little gentleman. The governess is at a loss to comprehend the incongruent pieces of information that she receives after directly inquiring Mrs. Grose about the details. After a short time in the estate, one afternoon she was strolling in the property, the governess beholds a man, an apparition on top of a tower. She is shocked by the view of this mysterious man, a person who was not introduced to her before or even was on the list of employees of the house. The man appears again to her on a Sunday as they were ready to go to church looking inthrough a window. He is an evil-looking man, red head, a scanty moustache, small deep set eyes, large mouth with thin lips. He doesn?t wear a hat and has on the clothes of the estate?s owner. After much interrogation Mrs. Grose confirms this used to be the valet of their master, a certain Peter Quint but he too is dead! The ghost seems to be looking for the children rather tan trying to show himself to the others. Mrs. Grose confirms that Quint in life, was very fond of little Miles and by his own character Quint had for a while been in charge of the children. Quint had been the lover of Miss Jessel and one day coming back from the public house he fell, causing himself to die of a head wound, slipped on a frozen rocky path. The Governess realizes that only she can save these children from the evil ghost if she is courageous and accepts the challenge of her fate in this employment. She decides to commit herself to the task, whatever the cost. One afternoon as she sits with Flora by the lake a new ghost appears and this time It?s a woman dressed in black, a dreadful and pale face, Jessel!. Flora saw her and pretended nothing was wrong. This is the point where the governess becomes aware that these monster apparitions come to seek the children and that the children remain silent about it but they know the ghosts are there. Mrs. Grose declares both Jessel and Quint were infamous.The next encounter with Quint comes at a moment when the governess finds the ghosts inside the house, in the stairs, his eyes daring her, fixed. ?A living, detestable, dangerous presence.? This story is written in Victorian English and it is hard to follow because the writer purposefully delivers little fragments of the story, between long diatribes and musings of the worried governess. In essence the dead lovers continue their love affair from the afterworld through their possession of the children. A double possession by a ghost, another Turn of the Screw. The Governess is able to drive away the ruler of this evil scenario by forcing young Miles to confront him, say his name and accept the truth of his unnatural presence. It is the moment of conquest, the exorcised devil flees, the governessis left with the young Miles, she comforts him, olds him in her arms, promises to protect him and realizes in horror that the body of the child in her arms is lifeless! The boy is dead. Henry James?s famous novel, though hard to read because of the oblique and parabolic character of its prose, is a harrowing tale and has been the inspiration for films and plays.

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