Sugared Death: Poison and Gender in Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Abstract:The Balham mystery carries many elements that would make their way into We Have Always Lived in the Castle: a wealthy family with troubled personal relationships; a case in which the cause of death is clearly identified as poison, but no one is ever convicted of a crime; sensational coverage in the press; and perhaps most importantly, an exploration of gender politics within the home. This essay looks to historical sources to examine the relationship between poison and gender, poison's links to witchcraft, and views of poison in the popular imagination. It argues that Jackson uses the metaphor of poison to challenge traditional domestic ideology in the novel.