James now uses the setting of the novella to create tension. He allows us to see into the Governess’ mind and we, like her anticipate Bly to be a place of dread since she “had expected something so melancholy”. It is usual for one to expect that a large country estate which is the setting of a ghost story will be isolated, old and gothic. James cleverly manipulates our assumptions to create an atmosphere of tension. Instead of the gothic building that we expect, we are introduced to something much more pleasant; the Governess upon her arrival is surprised and delighted at what she sees “what greeted me was a good surprise… I remember as a most pleasant impression”. This peaceful setting lulls the reader into a false sense of security, however at the back of our minds is the idea from the prologue that the story will be horrifying which makes the reader suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the following events; thus creating an atmosphere of tension. This same technique is used before the introduction of Peter Quint. In the pages preceding his apparition there is a vivid description of an idyllic setting such as “the beauty and dignity of the place… golden sky”. James does this in order to produce a sharp contrast when the ghost appears, making the emergence of the ghost more of a shock and therefore more terrifying for his audience.
With the ghost of Peter Quint now firmly entrenched within the story, James uses him as a key contributor for creating an atmosphere of tension. James uses Miss Grose’s detestable presentation of Quint while he was alive in order to create tension. She describes him as “Impudent and depraved”, “spoiled”, these quotations give a negative impression of Quint and portray him as an antagonist. However perhaps worst of all he is also related by Grose as “clever and deep”, exemplifying him as calculating and sinister. Because of his negative introduction the reader is therefore continually persuaded to think of Quint as a dangerous to the children. Upon each appearance Quint is seen closer to the Governess and hence successively more threatening and horrifying. Additionally each time Quint appears he is closer to the children, leading us to suspect that his apparitions are with some sort of intention rather than random. As a result of our perception of him as somebody dangerous and also because he is getting closer and closer to the governess, the reader feels the suspense gradually building since we see him as a threat to both the Governess and the children. The first time she sees him he is distanced at the top of a tower although still narrating the scene as “stricken with death” suggesting dread, horror and fear. The second time there is only a window separating them and the governess by saying “A nearness that… made me catch my breath and turn cold”, makes the point clear that it was the closeness that made it more fearsome. However on the third appearance which is described as the most formidable, they are adjacent to one another, it is this that made the experience so terrifying according to the governess, “At such close quarters that gave the whole horror”. By making Quint continually more frightful James creates tension because the reader is constantly anticipating more horrifying encounters.
Miss Jessel’s first appearance is an extremely suspenseful episode in the novella. In a similar way to the tightening of a screw, James slowly builds up an atmosphere of tension, by making Miss Jessel progressively more frightening, within the scene. On the Governess’s initial sighting of ‘a figure’ she describes Miss Jessel as an “An alien object in view”. The word “alien” has connotations with foreign and out of place; the Governess is suggesting that something is unusual and not quite right about this ‘figure’, introducing suspense as the audience begin to fear what this figure could possibly be. She continues her description with, “a positive identity of an apparition”, although not completely certain of what she is seeing, she is now convinced it is a ghost and the atmosphere dramatically becomes tenser as the supposed figure now becomes something supernatural. Immediately the Governess turns to Flora, “I transferred my eyes straight to little Flora”, James now passes on the current of fear onto Flora as well, “transferring …Flora” suggests concern for her, thus the ‘ghost’ is perceived as a threat to the Governess and the child. In chapter seven the Governess describes Miss Jessel as, “a figure of quite as much unmistakeable horror… black and dreadful this description adds a great deal of atmosphere to the novella; words such as “horror and dreadful” have such repulsive connotations that the reader would fear Jessel instantly creating an atmosphere of impending doom. Jessel also adds another quality to the atmosphere that is seemingly absent in Quint. In Chapter 10 Jessel is seen in an “attitude of woe” and her head in her hands; she is clearly grief stricken, creating a mood of melancholy and invoking a feeling of pity within the reader which contributes to the atmosphere within the novella.
James also uses the children, Miles and Flora, to create an atmosphere; by emphasising their unusual behaviour. Throughout the novella the perfection of the children is continually reiterated. They are described as “Raphael’s holy infants”, “cherubs of the anecdote”; these phrases have celestial connotations that suggest complete perfection. Moreover the Governess says that they have “extraordinary childish grace” and a “positive fragrance of purity”. Again ‘grace’ and ‘purity’ have angelic associations which are a clear link to innocence and virtue. The constant repetition of how ‘good’ they are almost suggests that there is something not quite natural about them. This is restated when on two occasions the governess uses the term “creature” to describe the children; perhaps James uses this to suggest an inhuman quality perhaps inferring that they too good to be true, might this hint at their unusual behaviour later on in the novella. Additionally the angelic description of the children might increase the perceived threat of Jessel and Quint; because the readers are encouraged to see the ghosts as a corruption of young innocence which immediately heights the peril of the apparitions. A key factor that James uses to build up tension in the novella is the danger that the ghosts pose to the children. The Governess is convinced that the motive of the ghosts is to ‘harm’ the children, “he wants to appear to them” the use of ‘want’ insinuates a feeling similar to desire for the children and since we have been given an extremely negative narration of Quint the reader feels a build up on suspense because of the threat posed to them. Furthermore the ghosts are described as having an “intention” and “determination”, these phrases reiterates the ‘desperation’ that the phantoms have for the children. The Governess exclaims, “It’s far worse than I dreamed, they’re lost”. Although the term “lost” is ambiguous it resonates with corruption and evil. James uses this phrase as an essential cause of tension in the novella since it suggests that the ghosts have a dominating influence of malevolence on the children.
In conclusion, James successfully creates atmosphere and tension in his novella. Through the exploitation of the prologue, setting and the characters in the story, he is able to maintain this throughout. However a key part of the novella that is central to the reader’s attitude to the entire novel; is the reader’s interpretation of the Governess credibility. A key question is, do the ghosts actually exist or are they merely imagined by a naive and vulnerable woman? If the latter is believed, then surely she is to blame for the entire chaos created and ultimately Miles’ death.
