The Status of the Secret in The Beast in the Jungle Keira Wright College

Henry James’ 1903 novella, The Beast in the Jungle, has long been debated by readers and critics alike. Central to the narrative is the status and understanding (or lack thereof) of a secret, a ‘crouching beast,’ (James, 1) that haunts protagonist, John Marcher. Critic Gert Buelens, author of In Possession of a Secret: Rhythms of Mastery and Surrender in ‘The Beast in the Jungle, suggests that the ultimate status of Marcher’s secret is that it is in essence, unknowable. Another widely debated interpretation of James’ novella is that Marcher is in fact, a closeted homosexual. Spearheaded by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s critical examination in The Beast in the Closet, this theory suggests that Marcher’s ‘terrible’ secret is his repressed sexuality. However, both of these understandings fail to take into account the importance of Marcher’s companion, May Bartnam. As suggested by Eugene Goodheart in What May Knew in ‘The Beast in the Jungle, perhaps the status of Marcher’s secret can be realised through the examination of May’s characterisation.

One literal interpretation of James’ novella is that the secret is unknowable, and thus Marcher’s attempts to understand it are futile. Therefore, the ultimate significance of the ‘crouching...