It is day eight of the AtoZChallenge and we are on the the letter H. Today I have one of my favourite terrifying ghosts to talk about. This is a lady who can terrify in all her incarnations.
Jennet Humfrye (The Woman in Black)
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| Pauline Moran TWiB 1989 |
Jennet Hymfrye was the sister of Alice Drablow, the woman who owned and lived in Eel Marsh house. Having had a child out of wedlock, Jennet was declared unfit to be a mother and her sister Alice and Alice's husband adopted Jennet's son Nathaniel, barring her from ever seeing the boy again.
When Nathaniel was killed in a carriage accident on the causeway to Eel Marsh House Jennet killed herself/withered away from grief (depending on the version), blaming Alice for not saving her son.
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| Liz White TWiB 2012 |
Whenever Jennet is seen a child dies.
In the 2012 film with Daniel Radcliffe Jennet is forcing the children to kill themselves. In the book, the play and the 1989 version she also causes accidents.
Do you think all the deaths are Jennet's fault or should the blame be put on Alice Drablow for what she did to her own sister?
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I knew I would never see this movie. I can't stand scary movies with children in them. What a horrid thing to happen. I'd come back as a vengeful spirit too. Great premise!
ReplyDeleteAnd this one is definitely scary and has scary children in it too. It is a fantastic story - well worth a read if you can't take the film.
DeleteI think the sister should share in the blame, but it does sound like a movie I would not want to see myself.
ReplyDeletebetty
It is definitely well in the horror genre - not for those who don't like scares. The book is a good read too though - if you don't mind a good ghost story in that form.
DeleteI love all the versions of The Woman in Black. It's a great story.
ReplyDeleteI think Alice and her husband are at least partly to blame. They never should have taken Jennet's son away from her.
But I don't think they meant for him to die. Still, how did they both escape but not get the boy out of the carriage? It's Chappaquiddick all over again.
It is brilliant isn't it.
DeleteGoes to look up Chappaquiddick ... ah yes, I see the similarities - only it looks like Kennedy's actions were much more deliberate.
Watched the film and scared myself silly (as usual), I feel so sorry for ghosts who are wronged like this... don't want them to kill more people though!
ReplyDeleteGreat pick!
Mars xx
@TrollbeadBlog from
Curling Stones for Lego People
Yes, I think we'd feel sorrier for them if they weren't taking it out on other people :)
DeleteThanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome :)
DeleteHmm, I think I'd put the blame partly on Jenner (well mainly) and partly on society because that's why her sister had her views. Maybe compassion would have saved the needless deaths.
ReplyDeleteFran
@FranClarkAuthor
Writing Women’s Fiction
Compassion in all cases I think, could have helped with everything.
DeleteHave you seen the movie? I've heard very mixed reviews of it. Never watched it in the end.
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - Jazz Age Jazz
I have seen the movie, the ITV version and the play - all are brilliant :) Dan Radcliffe is superb in the most recent one. However, the sequel was not so good.
DeleteScary looking ghost, and so vengeful, subjecting others to the pain of losing a child.
ReplyDeleteShe is a very bad entity and very, very scary.
DeleteScary looking ghost, and so vengeful, subjecting others to the pain of losing a child.
ReplyDeleteYikes! What a horrific woman!
ReplyDeletePiper Presley
H is for Hot Guys: Blogging from A to Z
Yep - and scary too :)
DeleteWow! She is a tragic character for sure!
ReplyDeleteShe would have been more tragic if she hadn't taken it out on everyone else. Although her madness is understandable.
DeleteWow! She is a tragic character for sure!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this one either, but she sounds (and looks) creepy as heck! I'll have to catch the 2012 movie!
ReplyDeleteIt's very good - it's a shame the other version is out of circulation - they only ever released it in the US and for one run. It's really good.
DeleteIs she the same as a "woman in white" in Supernatural? I wonder if they are based on the same tragic tale.
ReplyDeleteUm, I don't know the woman in white from supernatural, sorry. Given how folk law changes, possibly :)
DeleteI think the blame should definitely be put on Alice, for sure!
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of her but she sure looks scary. I'll look for the movie!
Another great phantom for us!
Michele at Angels Bark
It's well worth a watch :)
DeleteThis story just scares the socks off me. And I'm not sure I want to place blame. I only want to investigate the complex societal and emotional issues that produced such tragic results. Shivering!
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible how sometimes people aren't taken into consideration, isn't it.
DeleteEff the movie. Just eff it. I nearly died of fright watching it. I screamed like a bad-acting b-horror star. Bloody murder screams. Yeah. My poor dog ran away from me when I needed comfort.
ReplyDeleteIt was made old school with the subtle stuff that creeps up on you. More psychological than out and out hack-em slash-em.
I didn't like the ending though. I mean it was, imo, a little cheesy.
It was quite scary in places - the part with the window gets me every time :)
DeleteI think of them as the Western market picking up on what that Asian horror market never forgot - small things can really frighten when done the right way. I've noticed more and more films not going for in your face, but opting for simply freaking everyone out :)
I actually really liked the ending - of course no two versions of tWiB end the same :)
Gosh, she is a very scary and tragic character. Fascinating though,
ReplyDeleteMeet My Imaginary Friends
#AtoZchallenge http://www.kathleenvalentineblog.com/
She's a really good scare :)
DeleteHer child shouldn't have been taken from her, but I think the deaths of children are only her fault. But then again, who knows what kind of insanity happens when you turn into a ghost...
ReplyDeleteSo tragic and yet she could have tried to help children while taking her revenge on her sister.
DeleteI missed hearing about this movie at all. Sounds scary!
ReplyDelete@mirymom1 from
Balancing Act
It is - it's a great one if you like a little fright.
DeleteGhost logic always seems to be twisted logic. Haunting the sister, sure, but why would one take vengeance for the death of a child on other children?...
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
The Multicolored Diary
MopDog
I know, right? I suppose ghosts wouldn't be that scary if they always made sense :)
DeleteI enjoyed the movie, though I did find it a little bit overwrought in some ways. I prefer more subtlety and less shock in a ghost story. :) Still creepy, regardless.
ReplyDeleteThe Immarcescible Word
Frox'n'Fox
See I think they judged it perfectly :) but that because I like a bit of melodrama from time to time :)
DeleteDefinitely an insane ghost, killing children so others feel the same pain she did.
ReplyDeleteSusan Says
Yep - not how most of us hope to go.
DeleteWell, I hope I never see a ghost named Jennet! o.o
ReplyDelete~Ninja Minion Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Me either :)
DeleteIt wouldn't happen today would it? People have children out of wedlock all the time and bring up their own children. I don't know if it was the sister who declared Jennet unfit to be a mother. If it was then she is certainly to blame at the beginning but of course accidents happen all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think it might still occasionally happen. I think what is so terrible about Alice is that she never let Jennet be a part of the boy's life, even as an 'aunt'.
DeleteBased only on your summary since I haven't seen the movie, it's hard to put the blame on Alice, given the times that they lived in (based on their clothing) where women just didn't have the same rights. And I can't imagine how I would feel if either of my children died (the stuff of nightmares!) so it's hard to put the blame on Jennet. Seems like the result of unfortunate circumstances!
ReplyDeleteTracy (Black Boots, Long Legs)
Societies rules of the time caused so much pain, which is why any rules should always come with compassion.
DeleteI don't blame Jennet for haunting her sister. Family adoptions did happen at this time, but Jennet should have remained a valued member of the household, and a special aunt to her child. I do hate Jennet for killing the village children, though. Did you like the book or the movie better?
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard one because every version of tWiB has it's really good points. I think I'll have to go with the movie, simply because it was so beautifully done.
DeleteJ here, of the #atozchallenge Arlee Bird's A to Z Ambassador Team.
ReplyDeleteHow has the first week of the challenge been for you so far? Are you meeting your goals of posting and hopping to other blogs? Looking forward to Sunday off?
My blog's giveaways are still going! Thanks for stopping by to visit earlier.
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com
She certainly sounds creepy! I don't know if she's the cause or the omen.
In this case, definitely the cause - she is very deliberate.
DeleteWhat you share here reminds me of the movie The Orphanage. They are different stories, but there are some parallels too with the theme of revenge, mothers who lose their children, and children who die.
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to watch The Orphanage - my sister has leant it to me and I still haven't given it back because I keep forgetting to watch it :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThat was one scary movie. I am always amazed that even in real life people can be so cruel to their own families.
ReplyDeleteI know - it boggles the mind, doesn't it. I've even seen it in my own extended family. It makes me very glad to have such a wonderful immediate family.
DeleteI'm not familiar with this story. Scary stuff! The sister created the monster by her actions, but then the monster totally ran amok.
ReplyDeleteYep, that's about it. It's beautifully crafted horror.
DeleteOoooooh super interesting entry! :D
ReplyDeleteI saw the movie version (I believe there is a sequel now, but I am talking about the first one with Dan in it) we were on a road trip and it was dark as night had fallen upon us. My sister and I were watching the DVD on my laptop and we were so freaked she'd pop up out f the car's trunk (which by the way was right behind us!). It was fun! And creepy.
It is a great movie isn't it. The sequel is not bad, but no where near as good as the first one. They lacked the depth of story the one with Dan has.
DeleteReally? Aww that's actually disappointing to know. Seeing the first one in such an exciting setting I'd thought I'd end up watching the second one and loving it just as much too!
Delete