In Sexual Hysteria, Physiognomical Bogeymen, and the "Ghosts" in The Turn of the Screw
by Stanley Renner
Summarized by Amber Randolph
In Sexual Hysteria, Physiognomical Bogeymen, and the "Ghosts" in The Turn of the Screw, Stanley Renner proves that, contrary to popular belief, Quint’s “ghost” can be explained without citing the supernatural. In reality, the governess is just exhibiting symptoms of “sexual hysteria” coupled with the cultural influence of “human physiognomy.” (Renner 176) Her sexual disorder produces a “projection” (Renner 176) with physical traits that have negative sexual connotations in Victorian culture, or in simpler terms, the ghost of Quint.
Throughout “Turn of the Screw” the governess exhibits key signs of being a “sexual hysteric”. Her religious upbringing produces a vulnerable “virginal ingenue” (Renner 177) with unrealistic romantic inclinations. Her innocence makes her overly sensitive to her own sexual desires that trigger “hysterical attack[s].” (Renner 178) Quint is only a product of the governess’s internal fight “between [her] sexual impulse and inhibition” which was determined by practitioners as “the root of the disorder.” (Renner 178) Renner argues that her “hysterical fit” when she sees Quint exhibits key signs of the sexual hysteria, as well. The sudden change from a pleasant projection to a frightening one is characteristic of most hysterical fits.
The common “human physiognomic” traits characterizing sexual deviancy in males in that time period manifests itself in the governess’s sexual fit. Renner interprets Quint’s red hair as a sign of her subconscious connection of red with evil, inspired by the Bible. (Renner 186) Everything about the projection she sees, from his eyes to his stance, can be traced back to cultural physiognomic sexual traits of predatory men in that time period that has imprinted itself on the governess subconscious. So when she is explaining this description to Mrs. Grose, Mrs. Grose identifies these commonly associated physiognomic traits with the sexual fear she felt from Quint when he was alive to identify him.
Through these examples, Renner argues that the governess in fact was a mental health patient whose visions were only a side effect of her disorder.
Works Cited
Renner, Stanley. "Sexual Hysteria, Physiognomical Bogeymen, and the "Ghosts" in The Turn of the Screw." Nineteenth-Century Literature 43 (1988): 175-94.
Throughout “Turn of the Screw” the governess exhibits key signs of being a “sexual hysteric”. Her religious upbringing produces a vulnerable “virginal ingenue” (Renner 177) with unrealistic romantic inclinations. Her innocence makes her overly sensitive to her own sexual desires that trigger “hysterical attack[s].” (Renner 178) Quint is only a product of the governess’s internal fight “between [her] sexual impulse and inhibition” which was determined by practitioners as “the root of the disorder.” (Renner 178) Renner argues that her “hysterical fit” when she sees Quint exhibits key signs of the sexual hysteria, as well. The sudden change from a pleasant projection to a frightening one is characteristic of most hysterical fits.
The common “human physiognomic” traits characterizing sexual deviancy in males in that time period manifests itself in the governess’s sexual fit. Renner interprets Quint’s red hair as a sign of her subconscious connection of red with evil, inspired by the Bible. (Renner 186) Everything about the projection she sees, from his eyes to his stance, can be traced back to cultural physiognomic sexual traits of predatory men in that time period that has imprinted itself on the governess subconscious. So when she is explaining this description to Mrs. Grose, Mrs. Grose identifies these commonly associated physiognomic traits with the sexual fear she felt from Quint when he was alive to identify him.
Through these examples, Renner argues that the governess in fact was a mental health patient whose visions were only a side effect of her disorder.
Works Cited
Renner, Stanley. "Sexual Hysteria, Physiognomical Bogeymen, and the "Ghosts" in The Turn of the Screw." Nineteenth-Century Literature 43 (1988): 175-94.
