Who Turns the Screw? On the Diversity of the Musical Layer and Content in Benjamin Britten’s Opera Based on Henry James’ Novella
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26485/ZRL/2022/65.3/7Keywords:
opera, Benjamin Britten, Henry James, The Turn of the ScrewAbstract
The essay is a reflection on the possibility of diverse interpretations of both works — The Turn of the Screw by Henry James and the stage work of the same title composed by Benjamin Britten. The text is divided into six parts, the introduction is placed first. The author forms the thesis that depending on external conditions, the experiences of the viewer, everyone can interpret the novella in a different way. On the basis of her own reflections and references to considerations and analyses made by other scholars, she describes the various interpretative possibilities of the work. In his reflections, he refers not only to the textual, stage and acting layers, but also to the musical means used by Britten. The ambiguity of events, behavior and emotions of the characters make the plot full of insinuations. The unreliability of the narrator does not allow an objective assessment of the events described. The author also refers to social and cultural issues related to the era in which the action of the work is set, as well as the psychology of the characters. The author of the essay suggests that the literary work described is a kind of psychological game conducted by the writer for the recipient of the work. He does not give clear answers to the questions that bother the reader. Also, Britten’s opera is not, as the author of the libretto emphasizes, an attempt to interpret the original, but to transfer the story created by James to the musical ground. The question of the correct interpretation of the work remains without a concrete answer, because everyone turns the screw.
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