Claire Douglas and "Translate This Darkness"

Translate This Darkness was written by Claire Douglas and published in 1993. This biographical novel told the story of Christiana Morgan, the psychologist, artist, and writer. A journalist for the New York Times, Ben Macintyre, analyzes the article published in the New York Times in August of 1993 analyzes

In her novel, Douglas looked back on Morgan’s legacy as a woman with visions that “depicted a way of development that was far ahead of the traditionally feminine one of her era.” Douglas argued that Jung overlooked the reality and relevance of Christiana Morgan’s stream of subconsciousness, and rather misunderstood it to be the visions of an overly emotional “mourning feminine.” Douglas redirects the meaning of these visions, those that gave way to the Thematic Apperception Test, as a portrayal of “an assertive and active feminine along with the more conventionally passive one.” Macintyre questions whether or not readers of Translate This Darkness would interpret Morgan’s visions as Claire Douglas had; that Morgan’s visions represented the beginning of a contemporary model for feminine self.

Despite Christiana Morgan’s apparent advancements for the feminine self in the field of psychology, her pursuit of her sexuality was questioned in Translate This Darkness. Throughout her adult life, it appeared that Morgan was always attached to a man, first it was Chaim Weizmann, Lewis Mumford, Alfred North Whitehead, and most famously, Harry Murray. The New York Times article includes a note about Claire Douglas’ criticisms of Christiana Morgan’s apparent reliance on men. Douglas noted that she allowed “her relationships with men to get in the way of her ‘womanly spiritual, dynamic, chthonic and sensual self,’ and for failing to live up to her visions.” In some ways, her relationships did prove to be detrimental to Christiana Morgan’s mental state as it was her tumultuous relationship with Henry Murray that lead to her tragic death in 1967.

Macintyre for New York Times praises Claire Douglas’ portrayal of Christiana Morgan. Macintyre describes Christiana Morgan as “a fascinating woman, profound, imaginative, bold… ultimately a rebel.” Claire Douglas provided a biography of Christiana Morgan that highlighted her powers while also revealing a weaknesses.