The Ash-Tree by M.R. James (1905)
A group of people gather at a country house for a dinner party. One guest tells a story about an ash tree on the estate that has been the site of several tragic events. The story revolves around a family who lived in the house and were cursed by a woman who was wronged by them.
By M.R. James · First published 1905 · Genre: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Mystery · 13,413 words
First lines
Everyone who has travelled over Eastern England knows the smaller country-houses with which it is studded -- the rather dank little buildings, usually in the Italian style, surrounded with parks of some eighty to a hundred acres. For me they have always had a very strong attraction: with the grey paling of split oak, the noble trees, the meres with their reed-beds, and the line of distant woods. Then, I like the pillared portico -- perhaps stuck on to a redbrick Queen Anne house which has been faced with stucco to bring it into line with the "Grecian" taste of the end of the eighteenth century; the hall inside, going up to the roof, which hall ought always to be provided with a gallery and a small organ. I like the library, too, where you may find anything from a Psalter of the thirteenth century to a Shakespeare quarto. I like the pictures, of course; and perhaps most of all I like fancying what life in such a house was when it was first built, and in the piping times of landlords' prosperity, and not least now, when, if money is not so plentiful, taste is more varied and life quite as interesting. I wish to have one of these houses, and enough money to keep it together and entertain my friends in it modestly.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ash-Tree is listed on Textopian as a novel by M.R. James, dated 1905 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: M.R. James
- Date: 1905 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Literary Fiction
- Length: 13,413 words
- Structure: 1 section, 195 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ash-Tree by M.R. James
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Ash-Tree?
- How does this novel by M.R. James fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Neighbours Landmark by M. R. James
- An Authentic Narrative Of A Haunted House by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
- The Five Jars by M. R. James
- Madam Crowls Ghost by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
- The Haunted Dolls House by M. R. James
- Mr Humphreys And His Inheritance by M. R. James
Genres
- Horror — The narrative features supernatural elements and evokes fear through its eerie atmosphere.
- Gothic Fiction — It incorporates traditional Gothic themes such as decay, the supernatural, and a sense of dread.
- Mystery — The plot involves uncovering secrets and the investigation of strange occurrences.
- Fantasy — Elements of the supernatural and the fantastical are central to the story's conflict.
Tags
Gothic Fiction · Supernatural Horror · Short Story Collection · Classic Literature · English Folklore · Haunted House · Tree Symbolism · Mystery and Suspense · Atmosphere of Dread · Psychological Thriller · Historical Setting · Victorian Era