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living and the dead, which indeed goes a long way back in literature and mythology, mosl
likely reflects Ihe delicate negotiation of love and separation in bereavement. From this
hypothesis, the related yet diverging versions in classical balladry, lyrical songs and also
romantic literature propose their own resolutions and indeed worldviews on this
psychological crisis. Could the worst paradox of human life·-Iove and dealh--be
accountable for in the one or the other category: traditional or romantic, literary or popular?
Aflee all, have nol beliefs, rituals and songs shown their sharp awareness of the dangers of
bereavement, and provided effective answers to the worst cases in perfect accordance with
modern scientific grief therapy? Was Hufford not similarly snuck by the accurate
diagnosis of sleep paralysis and orner unexplained phenomena in popular tradition?
Yet, as well as commonly venting out profound and paradoxical feelings in
bereavement, the local texts of "Sweet William's Ghost" (Ch 77), "The Unquiet Grave"
(Ch 78), "The Grey Cock" (Ch 248), "Jimmy Whelan" and the episode quoted from Emily
Bronte's novel, all presenting a lover's "ghost," indeed voice different attitudes towards
Ihis crisis. According to the old custom of "taking leave" from the dead whereby the
survivors acknowledged separation, the revenant lover in Ch 77 claims his troth plight
back, and rejects the requested kiss in concrete suggestion of the breaking of their mutual
and earthly engagement to each other. Thus he affinns the value of ritual ("tamed dealh")
in moderation of uncontrolled ("wild") mourning. His teaching finds an equivalent and
summary expression in the local idiom which says that "there is hope from the ocean, bUI
nOt from the grave." Reasoned by her dead lover and helped by faith, Lady Margaret takes
his admonition, and so demonstrates the effective way towards rehabilitation in
bereavemelll--as well as the priority concern of "tamed dealh": survival.
eh 78 and 248, both of which Shields suspects of romantic influences. give the
revenant the lasI word, which suggests that, if the true love chooses life in the end, she
does so more hesitantly. One step further from this on the spectrum, Whelan's sweetheart
is delennined to die or spend the rest of her days in vain and morbid worship as a result of
her "spiritual experience." Thus she comes close to "thy death." Finally, lilerary
romanticism, in Ihe representation of Hearncliff, speaks OUI loud the romaOlic ideal of "love
sironger Ihan death" in defence of individual emotion above social norm. Ilowever,
whereas novel, ballad and song commonly focus on the mourner and Ihe depth of his love
and grief, the dramatization of the revenant's intervention and pronouncement in favour of
moderation dislinguish the traditional texts. In contrast with "high cuhure" and "romantic