Explain The Sublime In The Turn Of The Screw By Henry James

Written by Henry James in 1898, The Turn of the Screw is a chilling and intriguing novella which has captivated its readers ever since. This novella tells us the story of a governess who believes two children in charge are haunted by former caretakers. In The Turn of the Screw, Henry James uses sublime to develop a sense of uneasiness and tension aiming to question the reader’s own perception of reality Even though there are both the sublime and the uncanny in the novella, our focus will be on the usage of it as a powerful tool which creates suspense and fear.
The concept of the sublime came from the Romantic Movement which was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. It embodies the sense of both awe and horror that nature or forces beyond our control can evoke. Indeed, the sublime is

"The Turn of the Screw" features the presence of the sublime in the guise of paranormal elements that play a role within the plot such as ghosts. These ghosts are both frightening and impressive, give feelings of dread and discomfort in the audience. James uses sublime so as to create horror in readers, and as the story progress it becomes hard to differentiate reality and fantasy. Additionally, this usage of sublime makes readers feel a kind of uneasiness which can be illustrated with many examples.
One instance of the sublime is the description of the environment which is used to heighten the tension in the story. The narrator describes the "shrouded hills" and "darkening sky" in negative meaning terms, using phrases like "sinister stillness" and "forbidding gloom" to suggest that something dangerous is hiding. This use of the sublime underscores the sense of mystery and fear that pervades the story. It is clear that the adjectives he uses have