The Turn of the Screw
by Henry James

The Turn of the Screw: Allusions 1 key example

Definition of Allusion

In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis—Udolpho and Jane Eyre:

The Turn of the Screw alludes to two famous Gothic novels that resonate with the governess's narrative: Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho and Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. The governess mentions these novels in her own narrative shortly after seeing the ghost of Peter Quint for the first time, asking herself:

Was there a "secret" at Bly—a mystery of Udolpho or an insane, an unmentionable relative kept in unsuspected confinement?