The Woman in Black

The past plays a pivotal role for all the characters in the novel, and most of their pasts tend to come with painful memories. Notably, Kipps and Jennet Humfrye’s pasts cause them to hold onto their pain in their present state. The novel suggests that becoming trapped by the past can prolong pain, whereas learning how to acknowledge and integrate painful memories in a healthier way enables meaningful healing.

Jennet’s character, specifically, exists with so much pain that she continues to grieve even in the afterlife, turning her into a malevolent spirit seeking vengeance for the loss of her child. In her letters, Jennet writes, “What else can I do? I am quite helpless” (115), regarding Mrs. Drablow’s adoption of Nathaniel. Jennet’s tone implies a deep-embedded loss that causes her significant grief, which Kipps defines as a “quiet, resigned bitterness” (114). Her helplessness perpetuates a need to take control of the situation; however, the loss of her son forces Jennet to endure even more pain that appears to be inescapable even in death.

Jennet’s inability to escape her pain forces her to exist only in the past, creating a cycle of turmoil for not only herself but also those that encounter her.