The Governesss Desire in Henry Jamess The Turn of the...

The Governesss Desire in Henry Jamess The Turn of the Screw nbsp; nbsp; Henry Jamess The Turn of the Screw paints a landscape that is ripe for psychoanalytic analysis. He has chosen language and syntax that symbolize his main characters psychological fragmentation and her futile attempt to mend herself. Many of Lacans theories emerge as the Governess reveals her motivations through her recollective narrative. nbsp; The Governess enters the Imaginary Stage of Lacans psychoanalysis theory when she sees herself in the mirror on her first night at Bly. She recalls,the long glasses in which, for the first time, I could see myself from head to foot... and as her idealized image gazes back, the Governess has now†¦show more content†¦The picture of Bly painted by the Governess pulsates with men who are not there; their absent presence agitates the Governesss anxiety over her own fragmentation. The master has abandoned her physically and emotionally, Miles has potential but is only a child, and Peter Quint is nothing more than air. Even though they are unavailable to her, the Governesss desire to be what these pseudo-men desire becomes the driving force behind her actions. nbsp; In order to please the master, the Governess makes it her mantra to carry out her agreement to in charge of Bly (a traditional male role and yet the Governess remarks, Well, I was strangely at the helm!)without engaging him in any of the messy details. In order to please Miles, the Governess indulges his late-night wanderings and until he brings up the subject, does not pester him with questions about his expulsion from school. To please Peter Quint, the Governess makes herself available to him by strolling alone across the grounds. None of these attempts to fulfill these imagined desires fulfills the Governess, of course, because unity of self is not possible. There is no phallic presence at Bly and according to Lacan, none is forthcoming. nbsp; Ironically, the other present characters at Bly are also fragmented and desire to fulfill the Governesss desires, if the narrative is reliable. Mrs. Grose, who could very well slap the Governess back intoShow MoreRelatedEssay Finding Meaning in The Turn of The Screw, by Henry James2788 Words   |  12 Pagesglance, Bly appears to be a rather lonely place. The vividly bleak backdrop for The Turn of the Screw houses a handful of servants, two orphaned children, and ghosts who fade in and out of view. But there are others present who are less obtrusive yet just as influential as Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. Peering into and out of Blys windows and mirrors, engaging with the text and the lingering trace of author Henry James, a crowd of real and virtual readers hope to catch a glimpse of a specter orRead MoreSexual Repression in Turn of the Screw Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagesduring the period, people took anything not specified in sexual connotations. Realizing this, the au thors of the time used this to their advantage and laid a heavy underlying sexual atmosphere as a basis for their stories. Henry James does just that in his Turn of the Screw. Though never directly stating so, his main character suffers from sexual repression that came along with her position in the Victorian age and eventually acts upon it, while the ghosts in the story then serve as protectionRead MoreHenry James, the Art of Fiction and the Turn on the Screw3624 Words   |  15 Pages1. Henry James’s theory of the novel, introduced in his critical essay The Art of Fiction, has been considered as â€Å"playing an important part in the definition of the new conventions of the modernist novel† (Dobrinescu, 203). The theory’s central point or main concern has to do with, as Hopkins considers, â€Å"taking the novel (and, consequently, theoretical discussion of the novel) seriously†. For James, the novel corresponds to the ultimate art form and it should have a position the community as suchRead MoreEssay on Protecting Miles and Flora in The Turn of the Screw2242 Words   |  9 PagesProtecting Miles and Flora in The Turn of the Screw â€Å"I saw my service so strongly and simply. I was there to protect and defend the little creatures†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The governess sees it as her duty to protect Miles and Flora. What do they need protection from and how does Henry James illustrate this in his novel â€Å"The Turn of the Screw†? Henry James’s ‘Turn of the Screw’ can be interpreted in many different ways. He constructed his novel in order to make allusions to sexual topics, (without stating