The novel’s title, Possession, carries multiple meanings. Does the novel ultimately endorse one form over the other, or does it suggest that any attempt to claim the past is inherently problematic?

How does the novel’s satirical contrast between the “jargon-heavy, ideologically driven” theory of its modern scholars and the Romanticism of the Victorian poets suggest the best way to appreciate literary texts today?

Analyze Ellen’s character, focusing on her journal entries and her final act of burying the metal box, as an author of the historical record.

Discuss how the legend of Melusina functions as the novel’s central, organizing myth. Consider how the myth illuminates both Christabel’s choices and the guarded nature of Maud Bailey.

Examine how the Victorian “crisis of faith” is a driving force in the historical narrative between Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte.

Analyze the significance of the final scene. What does its placement outside the main narrative suggest about the nature of history, memory, and the limits of “possession”?

How does the novel’s use of fabricated “primary texts” contribute to the novel’s exploration of literary history and authenticity?

Compare the scholarly approaches of James Blackadder and Beatrice Nest. How do their respective relationships to their subjects shape their actions and ultimately contribute to the resolution of the central mystery?