WARNING: Spoilers for The Haunting of Bly Manor.
What’s the deal with Henry Wingrave’s menacing alter ego in The Haunting of Bly Manor? The mental projection doesn’t play a prominent role in the Netflix series, but has some creepy moments while conversing with Henry Thomas’ alcoholic character. Based on Henry James’ 1898 novella, The Turn of the Screw, The Haunting of Bly Manor incorporates several other works by the American author, including one of his famous ghost stories for the doppelgänger subplot.
The Haunting of Bly Manor begins with Henry having an awkward interview with potential au pair Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti), an American living in London. Henry passive-aggressively confronts Dani about “the catch,” hoping to understand her true motivations for wanting the position. Pedretti’s character references her experiences as a teacher, and implies that she’d be happier and more efficient while looking after two children instead of 30. Dani later spots Henry at a pub, and turns “the catch” conversation back to the interviewer. The Haunting of Bly Manor reveals that Henry’s brother Dominic (Matthew Holness) and wife Charlotte (Alex Essoe) died in a tragic accident, and that the previous Bly Manor au pair, Rebecca Jessel (Tahirah Sharif), passed away from an apparent suicide. Dani lands at a new job at Bly Manor, and discovers that Henry spends little time with his niece Flora (Amelie Bea Smith) and nephew Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth).
Henry’s alter ego makes his first appearance in The Haunting of Bly Manor episode 6, “The Jolly Corner.” The real Henry pours himself a drink at work, a moment that further establishes the character as an alcoholic struggling with unknown demons. When his smiley doppelgänger appears, it’s clear that Henry has unresolved personal issues to address. The suit-and-tie clad alter ego initially does little more than smile like a lunatic in The Haunting of Bly Manor, but a later sequence reveals that he has plenty of opinions about real Henry’s questionable behavior. As Henry consumes more alcohol and slips into a drunken slumber, the truth about his past emerges. The doppelgänger exists to remind Henry about a familial tragedy, along with his failures as a man. In addition, “The Jolly Corner” is a direct reference to James’ 1908 short story of the same name.
In The Haunting of Bly Manor, “The Jolly Corner” reveals that Henry had an affair with his brother’s wife, Charlotte, and that he’s actually Flora’s real father. After being confronted and “banished” by Dominic, Henry later meets his doppelgänger for the first time after his brother and Charlotte pass away during a vacation accident. In the present, the alter ego is a physical manifestation of Henry’s emotional trauma, as he feels guilty for several reasons. For one, his affair in The Haunting of Bly Manor led to Dominic and Charlotte taking off for India to rebuild their marriage. Two, Peter Quint (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) allegedly stole £300,00 from the manor; the money was supposed to be inherited by Miles. Three, Henry has failed to fully accept his brother’s death by not submitting a proper death notice.
Henry’s redemption story in The Haunting of Bly Manor involves confronting his alter ego. The same concept applies for businessman Spencer Brydon in James’ short story “The Jolly Corner”, as the character views his cerebral doppelgänger as a version of the man he could’ve been, if only he’d invested more time and money in business pursuits. Spencer also believes that his alter ego haunts the family home, a concept that Flanagan tweaks for his Netflix series. In The Haunting of Bly Manor, Henry repeatedly call the estate but never actually says anything, as he’s mostly hoping to hear the voice of his daughter. Henry eventually confronts his personal demons and rebuilds a relationship with Flora and Miles, but only after Bly Manor is spiritually cleansed by Dani. In a final twist, an older version of Henry appears at the tail end of The Haunting of Bly Manor as the father of a familiar bride.
