The Turn of the Screw

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The manuscript’s author

Also known as Douglas’s sister’s governess · The governess

A woman ten years older than Douglas, formerly governess to his sister. She wrote the account of the events at Bly and sent it to Douglas before her death; she had been in love with someone whose identity the text does not state.

Mrs. Grose

The housekeeper at Bly and former maid to the master’s mother; she cares deeply for Flora and helps the governess look after the children. She now believes Flora has been involved in supernatural doings and heard her say shocking things about the governess; she takes Flora away from Bly to her uncle. She also reports that Miles took and burned the governess’s letter.

Miles

Also known as Master Miles · the little gentleman · the little boy

The master’s nephew and Flora’s older brother, around ten years old. He admits taking and burning the governess’s letter, but denies stealing at school; he says he said things to a few schoolmates he liked, which were repeated to the masters. At the end, after naming Peter Quint and seeing nothing at the window, he dies in the governess’s arms.

Flora

Also known as the little lady · the little girl

The master’s niece and Miles’s younger sister, about eight years old. The governess believes Flora sees and communicates with Miss Jessel’s ghost, but Flora denies seeing anyone and angrily rejects the governess. She becomes feverish and is taken away from Bly by Mrs. Grose.

The former governess

Also known as Miss Jessel

The young woman who cared for Miles and Flora before the narrator arrived. Mrs. Grose confirms her improper relationship with Peter Quint; she left Bly and later died. The governess sees her ghost at the lake, where Flora appears to ignore it.

Peter Quint

Also known as Quint · Mr. Quint

The master’s former valet, who remained at Bly after the master left and exercised improper influence over the household and children. He was involved with Miss Jessel and spent months in close company with Miles. The governess sees his ghost at the window; Miles names him, and the apparition vanishes before Miles dies.

The apparition on the tower

Also known as the unknown man · the visitor

A red-haired, pale-faced man the governess sees on a tower, at a window, and later on the staircase. Mrs. Grose identifies him as Peter Quint.

The woman in black

A pale, frightening woman whom the governess sees across the lake while Flora plays; the governess identifies her as Miss Jessel. The governess later sees her ghost on the opposite bank, though Mrs. Grose and Flora deny seeing anyone.

The woman on the staircase

An unnamed apparition the governess sees sitting on a lower stair with her back turned and her head in her hands. The governess believes she knows the woman’s dreadful face, but does not identify her.

The housemaid

An unnamed member of the household staff at Bly. She serves the governess tea after Flora has been taken away.

The messenger

An unnamed person expected to go to the village and potentially carry the governess’s letter.

Luke

An unnamed male servant at Bly. Mrs. Grose says he denied noticing or touching the governess’s letter.

The maids and the men

Unnamed members of the Bly household staff who look blank and stare after Mrs. Grose and Flora leave.

The masters at Miles’s school

Also known as the schoolmasters · the gentlemen at the school

Unnamed school authorities who dismiss Miles without explaining the reason. Miles says he spoke to a few schoolmates, who repeated his words to the masters.

Miles’s schoolmates

Also known as the children’s schoolmates · Miles’s mates

Unnamed children at Miles’s school. Miles says he said things to a few of those he liked, and they repeated them to the masters.

The governess’s employer

Also known as the master · the gentleman · the uncle · their uncle · their guardian

A wealthy bachelor and guardian of Miles and Flora, who lives in Harley Street and has left their care to the governess. He dislikes being troubled and has not written to the children.

The apparition in the ghost story

Also known as Griffin’s ghost

An apparition in Griffin’s tale that appears to a child and his mother.

The governess’s brothers and sisters

Mentioned by the governess as part of her family history, which Miles and Flora know from her stories; they are not individually identified.

Goody Gosling

A person mentioned by the governess as the source of a celebrated saying that Miles and Flora ask her to repeat.

The vicarage pony

A pony mentioned in the governess’s stories; the children know details of its cleverness.

The apparition on the lawn

An unnamed figure the governess sees standing on the lawn and looking up toward the tower; she discovers it is Miles.

The churchgoers

Unnamed people, including members of the Bly household, gathered outside the church as the governess and Miles arrive.

The housemaid writing a letter

An imagined identity the governess initially assigns to the apparition of Miss Jessel seated at her schoolroom table; the passage clarifies that this was Miss Jessel’s ghost.

Douglas

The host who tells the assembled guests about a manuscript written by his sister’s former governess. He later gives the manuscript to the narrator, who transcribes it.

Griffin

A guest whose ghost story prompts Douglas to tell of a haunting involving two children.

The narrator

A guest at Douglas’s gathering who records the frame story and later transcribes Douglas’s manuscript. The narrator’s gender is not specified.

The woman who cries “Oh, how delicious!”

An unnamed guest who reacts eagerly to Douglas’s promise of a frightening story.

The woman who asks who the governess loved

An unnamed guest who asks about the governess’s love and later asks Douglas for the manuscript’s title.

Douglas’s sister

Mentioned as the person for whom the manuscript’s author once worked as a governess.

The master’s younger brother

Also known as the military brother

A military man who died two years before the events at Bly; his children Miles and Flora were left in the master’s care.

The master’s parents

Mentioned as having died in India, leaving the master guardian of their grandchildren, Miles and Flora.

The nursemaid

A young woman who stayed at Bly after Miss Jessel left and cared for the children during the interval before Miss Jessel’s death was reported.

The laborer who found Peter Quint

An unnamed laborer who discovered Quint dead on the road while going to work early one winter morning.

The headmaster

The head of Miles’s school, who sends the master a letter dismissing Miles and declines to keep him.

The laborer’s child

Also known as the little boy in the ghost story

An unnamed child in the story Douglas recalls, who wakes his mother after seeing an apparition in their room.

The mother in the ghost story

An unnamed woman who shares a room with her young son and also sees the apparition that frightened him.

The coach guard

Also known as the guard

An unnamed guard who accompanies Miles on the coach journey to Bly.

The fly driver

An unnamed driver who brings the governess from the coach stop to Bly.

The housemaids

Two unnamed maids who look out from Bly’s windows when the governess arrives.

The cook

An unnamed member of the household staff at Bly.

The dairywoman

An unnamed member of the household staff at Bly.

The groom

An unnamed older member of the household staff at Bly.

The gardener

An unnamed older member of the household staff at Bly.

The governess’s father

Also known as the poor country parson

Mentioned as a poor country parson and the father of the governess, who was the youngest of several daughters.

The governess’s sisters

Mentioned as the older sisters of the governess; no individual names or further details are given.

The governess’s family at home

Mentioned in the governess’s letters as facing difficulties while she is at Bly.

The governess’s previous applicants

Other unnamed candidates for the position at Bly who were reportedly deterred by its conditions.

Miles’s schoolmasters

Also known as the gentlemen at the school

Unnamed school authorities who write that Miles cannot remain at school, without explaining the reason.

The solicitor

Also known as the master’s solicitor

An unnamed solicitor who handles the money sent to the governess for the household.

The postman

An unnamed possible visitor the governess considers as an ordinary explanation for seeing a stranger at Bly.

The tradesman’s boy

An unnamed possible visitor the governess considers as an ordinary explanation for seeing a stranger at Bly.

The rooks

Birds that circle and call above Bly when the governess arrives.