The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Hosted by We ❤️ Jane Austen
Tuesday 13 October 2026, 18:30
Venue time (London)
Seymour's Parlour @ The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone · Directions
Downloads an .ics file · Times are in Europe/London · Google Calendar
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Event details
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Add to calendar · Downloads an .ics file · Times are in Europe/London · Google Calendar
Welcome to the spooky season! Join us for a discussion of Henry James’ 1898 haunting gothic tale of a young governess and the two orphaned children she cares for in a country estate. James is often cited as being influenced by Jane Austen. We will discuss the novella and search for Austen connections.
We will be discussing the following questions. Please take a look and be ready to share your thoughts!
1. Henry James’ works such as The Portrait of a Lady are seen to be influenced by Jane Austen’s work. What links- if any- do you find between Austen and James’ The Turn of The Screw?
2. What does the framing of the narrative as a “tale within a tale” add?
3. Why does the governess accept the position at Bly despite the restrictions?
4. Who are the ghosts and who sees them?
5. What role does the governess adopt at Bly?
5. There are many subjects that are avoided by the characters, and whose omission drives the plot and increases the tension. What are some of these and why?
5. What influence does the isolated setting have on the story?
6. The children are described as incredibly beautiful, intelligent and well behaved. What is the significance of this?
7. Is this a straight ghost story or is it a tale of mental breakdown?
8. What does the author do to increase our unease as readers?
9. Interpret the ending. What has happened?
10. What do you think happened between the end of the memoir and Douglas meeting the governess?
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