The Two Magics: The Turn of the Screw, Covering End

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

42486

Title

The Two Magics: The Turn of the Screw, Covering End

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Henry James's 'The Two Magics' presents a chilling tale of supernatural terror and psychological horror. Set in an old house on Christmas Eve, the story explores the haunting of children and the complex, often dangerous dynamics between a young governess, her employers, and a mysterious bachelor. With a tone of gothic suspense and intricate social observation, this narrative offers a profound look at fear, love, and the uncanny forces that disrupt domestic tranquility.

Summary up to 500 words

Henry James's 'The Turn of the Screw' unfolds as a chilling narrative framed by a group of friends gathered around a fire on Christmas Eve. The conversation begins with a discussion of a gruesome ghost story involving a child, which prompts the friend Douglas to promise a far more terrifying tale. He reveals that the story was written by his late sister's governess, a woman who was secretly in love with Douglas himself. The manuscript, kept in a locked drawer for years, is finally produced to be read by the group. The narrative proper shifts to the perspective of a young, nervous governess arriving at Bly, a large and imposing house in Essex. Her employers are the wealthy but eccentric Mr. Prodmore and his daughter, Cora. The house is mortgaged to Captain Clement Yule, a mysterious and ambitious young man who has recently inherited the property. Tensions immediately rise as Mr. Prodmore attempts to force Cora into a marriage with Yule, whom she despises. The atmosphere grows increasingly oppressive, isolating the governess and creating a sense of dread. The governess finds herself terrified, sensing a malevolent presence within the house that seems to target the two orphaned children, Miles and Flora. As the story progresses, the boundaries between reality and hallucination blur, revealing a dark history involving the previous governess and the children's parents. The narrative builds toward a climax where the 'two magics'—the magic of the supernatural and the magic of human manipulation—collide. This convergence results in a devastating conclusion that leaves the characters and the reader shaken by the depth of the horror, questioning the nature of the evil haunting the house and the reliability of the governess's own perceptions.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42486.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg42486.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-06-30 17:42 UTC

Categories

• Psychology
• Romance
• Fiction
• Horror