Kate answers “Of what evil, exactly, were Miss Kressel...”

Sheila asked this question about The Turn of the Screw:

Of what evil, exactly, were Miss Kressel and Quint supposed to be guilty of in life? Undue familiarity with each other, and with others, especially the children, I understand. Not staying quietly within their place. But was that tantamount to true evil? Or was more supposed to have passed between them and the children?

Kate I don't believe the sexual molestation thing either. Ms. Jessell and Quint were having a relationship with each other and the affair is implied to hav…moreI don't believe the sexual molestation thing either. Ms. Jessell and Quint were having a relationship with each other and the affair is implied to have led to their deaths. It's possible Ms. Jessell had gotten pregnant. In the time the story was set, this was a big deal that could lead to Ms. Jessel's reputation being ruined.

As for the influence over the children, it was simply because Ms. Jessell and Quint were dead. The governess thinks that the reason they stayed as ghosts is that they are damned, and because they are damned, they might harbor malice towards the children for whatever reason -- probably revenge. The governess is a bit on the fervently religious side and comes to believe that it's her duty to protect the children from the allegedly malicious ghosts.(less)

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The Turn of the Screw

by Henry James

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