The Ghostly Rental by Henry James

Classic Ghost Stories

Tony Walker

Fiction, Drama, Science Fiction

4.9 • 686 Ratings

🗓️ 8 March 2024

⏱️ 107 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Henry James (1843–1916) was an American author renowned for his contributions to literature, particularly within the realm of psychological realism. Born in New York City, James spent much of his life traveling between Europe and the United States, which greatly influenced his cosmopolitan worldview and writing style. Known for his intricate character studies and keen exploration of human psychology, James's works often delved into themes of social conventions, personal freedom, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Throughout his prolific career, he authored numerous novels, short stories, and essays, earning him recognition as one of the foremost literary figures of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James made a special contribution to the ghost story genre through his unique blend of realism and supernatural elements. His ghost stories are characterized by their vague, psychological qualities, featuring unreliable narrators and a chilling mixture of realism and romantic suggestiveness. James challenged conventional notions of what constitutes a ghost, exploring the haunting power of guilt and remorse alongside more traditional supernatural elements. His works, including "The Turn of the Screw" and "The Ghostly Rental," continue to captivate readers with their rich prose, intricate character portraits, and haunting themes. "The Ghostly Rental," first published in Scribner's Monthly in September 1876, exemplifies Henry James's exploration of themes within the ghost story genre. This tale revolves around a grad student's fascination with an old soldier who visits an abandoned mansion to collect rent from his supposed ghostly daughter. Themes of guilt, redemption, and the blurred lines between reality and imagination permeate the narrative, as James challenges readers to ponder the nature of truth and the power of perception. Through its atmospheric setting and complex characters, "The Ghostly Rental" remains a timeless exploration of the human psyche and the haunting effects of past misdeeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:30.5	On your mark. Yes, sir.
0:32.8	We're back in the nation's favorite tent. Let's do this. And it's packed with a fresh batch of famous faces.
0:39.7	As long as it's edible, I'd be happy.
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0:45.1	How can it be?
0:46.0	The great celebrity baker for Stand Up to Cancer on Channel 4.
0:49.2	Stream now. The Ghostly Rental
0:57.0	The Ghostly Rental by Henry James
1:13.6	I was in my 22nd year and I had just left college.
1:17.6	I was at liberty to choose my career and I chose it with much promptness.
1:22.6	I afterwards renounced it, in truth, with equal ardour, but I have never regretted those two
1:28.6	youthful years of perplexed and excited, but also of agreeable and fruitful experiment.
1:37.0	I had a taste for theology, and during my college term I had been an admiring reader of Dr. Channing. This was theology of a grateful and
1:47.9	succulent savour. It seemed to offer one the rows of faith delightfully stripped of its thorns,
1:54.7	and then, for I rather think this had something to do with it, I had taken a fancy to the old
2:00.7	divinity school. I have always had
	...

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