Sir Edmund Orme

arts, books, fiction, society, culture · EN

Henry James penned several captivating ghost stories, with The Turn of the Screw standing out as the most renowned. But did James himself believe in ghosts, much like many of his contemporaries? While it‚s often possible to interpret his spectral figures through earthly lenses, such as Freudian analysis, Sir Edmund Orme presents a different challenge. Here, we encounter a genuine ghost, narrated through the voice of a third man whose judgments remain conspicuously absent, much like the ambiguity found in The Turn of the Screw. The tale intertwines two love affairs across generations, with Sir Edmund‚whether real or imagined‚playing a pivotal role in both. Ultimately, the decision about the ghosts reality lies with the reader, as James leaves no definitive answers. (Introduction by Nicholas Clifford)