book review of canterville ghost

Book Review – The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

Do you like Oscar Wilde? How about a good ghost story? If you answered to both questions, then you'll love the Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. It's not a scary ghost story, it's actually quite funny. And a delightful tale.

Below, you'll find my thoughts on The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde.

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Initial Thoughts on The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde is a short story . Like many works of literature, the story first appeared in a magazine, The Court and Society Review in February 1887. The Canterville Ghost is a story of contrast – American vs. British Society.

When the story starts, the American minister, Mr Hiram B. Otis has purchased Canterville Chase, an English country house. Otis is warned by Lord Canterville that the house is haunted, but he doesn’t believe in ghosts.

This is not a typical ghost story. I found it quite funny, laughing a lot while reading the book.

Have you read?

Oscar Wilde Personal Library – The Shaping of a Mind The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde – Book Review

What is The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde About?

The Otis family consists of husband and wife, their eldest son, Washington, daughter Virginia and twin sons. Shortly after the Otis family arrives at their new country estate, they notice a spot on the floor in the library. Their housekeeper informs them that Lady Eleanore de Canterville was murdered at that exact spot by her husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, who survived her by nine years. His body was never discovered, however, his spirit haunts the place.

Washington applies some strong stain remover – Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent – to the blood stain, which disappears temporarily and reappears the next day. As soon as they remove the stain it reappears the following day – bright red, dull red, purple and even bright emerald green.

After the blood stain reappears the first time, the Otis family concludes that there must be a ghost. Mrs Otis is a modern day woman and declares that she is going to join the Psychical Society. Washington decides to write to Messrs Myers and Podmore,

“on the subject of the Permanence of Sanguineous Stains when connected with crime.”

To get the most from this SummaReview of The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, after you have read it, answer the following questions:

• Is this a book I’d like to read for myself? Why? Why not?
• What has made an impression on me in this reading?
• Were there any kernels of wisdom in this reading?
• Is there a framework that you can use in your life and work?
• What are five takeaways from the SummaReview ?

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde is told through the eyes of the very theatrical ghost, Sir Simon, who appears in many different costumes and personas – Red Reuben, Strangled Babe, Dumb Daniel, Suicide’s Skeleton, Martin the Maniac, Masked Mystery, Reckless Rupert, Headless Earl and so on. The first night, Sir Simon decides to haunt the Americans, Mr Otis greets him with a container of Rising Sun Lubricator for him to oil his manacled chains so he doesn’t make so much noise and disturb the family’s sleep. The twin boys also throw a pillow at him.

The ghost quickly retreats to his hiding place and is feeling quite insulted. Never in his three hundred years of haunting people at Canterville Chase has he ever received that kind of reception. The tables have been turned on the ghost, and instead of terrifying the residents, they instead “terrify” him. The twins use their pea shooters and discharge pellets at Sir Simon. One night after he attempts to frighten the family with one of his terrible laughs, Mrs. Otis lets him know that he sounds quite terrible and offers him a bottle of Doctor Dobell’s tincture.

Sir Simon suffers great indignities at the hand of the American family, who are not afraid of him. He enters the twins’ room to scare them and a large jug of water falls on him, which just about does him in. He has a grand plot to exact revenge against Washington whom he bears a special grudge for removing the blood stain with Pinkerton’s Paragon Detergent. But once again, the joke is on Sir Simon, when he encounters, what he perceives as another.

The ghost has never seen another ghost and is quite terrified , and flees to his room. When he regains his composure and courage, Sir Simon seeks out the ghost to form some sort of alliance. He discovers to his chagrin, that the ghost wasn’t a real ghost. In another instance, Washington and the twins force him into the great iron oven, which luckily wasn’t lit at the time, forcing Sir Simon to escape through chimneys

Sir Simon’s nerves begin to unravel because nothing is working and he is becoming quite weak. He even decides not to bother with replacing the stain on the floor in the library. He doesn’t think very highly of the Otis family

“They were evidently people on a low, material plane of existence, and quite incapable of appreciating the symbolic value of sensuous phenomena. The question of phantasmic apparitions, and the development of astral bodies, was of course quite a different matter, and not really under his control…”

Based on my analytics, readers seem to like stories written by Oscar Wilde. I came across the article, On Art and Prison: The 5 Best Books on Oscar Wilde .

Two of the books mentioned in the article that I found intriguing are The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde by Neil McKenna, and The Real Trial of Oscar Wilde by Merlin Holland.

The ghost resigns to the fact that he will not be able to frighten the “rude” American family. The twins lay in wait for Sir Simon on several occasions laying traps for him but he never appears. The family concludes that the ghost has left Canterville Chase. All during this time, Virginia was the only one in the family that did not play a trick on, or even approach the ghost. Why?

One day while out riding, Virginia tears her riding habit quite badly and decides to enter Canterville Chase through a back door. She is surprised to discover the Canterville Ghost sitting by a window. His disposition is that of someone suffering from depression and she feels sorry for him.

An interesting dialogue takes place between them and during that time, he admits that he killed his wife and why, and virginia tells him that it is wrong to kill. she is also upset because he stole her paint to replace the blood stain and hence the mystery of the different colours of “blood” is solved..

Virginia tries to convince Sir Simon to go to America because they would appreciate a ghost there, but he doesn’t want to go to America. Sir Simon is weary because he hasn’t slept in over three hundred years. He wants to rest , but is terrified of the Garden of Death. Through Virginia, he believes that he will receive forgiveness and allowed to rest. He believes that through the purity of a child, Hell cannot prevail.

She takes him through the portal, and doesn’t tell her parents, so when they cannot find her they panic. But no one even thinks about Sir Simon, because they believed he had left. Virginia appears the next day after her family had searched for her everywhere and couldn’t find her. She relates what happens and shows them the gift of jewels she received from Sir Simon. Mr Otis tries to return the jewels to Lord Canterville, who refuses them and is convinced that should he take them, Sir Simon would return.

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde ends when Virginia is married a few years later, and you get the sense that something profound took place with her encounter with Sir Simon that she has never revealed.

I found this story quite funny and I laughed a lot. But when you stop to think, this is a story of contrasts. Think about it, an American family emigrates to England and buys a very English country home. Though they are warned that the house is haunted, they initially do not believe.

However, when they realize that the house is indeed haunted, they do not respond in a “British” way by being scared, they turn things around on the ghost baffling him. You see the ghost going through a range of emotions until he is a broken man. It’s a story of role reversals, instead of the ghost terrorizing the residents of Canterville Chase, they terrorize him instead.

Should I Buy The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde?

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Oscar Wilde Book List

Further Reading/Viewing

Oscar Wilde: A Controversial Writer Oscar Wilde – The Canterville Ghost

Cannot view video? Click here . Uploaded by  SpidersHouseAudio  on May 26, 2009

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar Wilde

For those who want a print book to read:  The Canterville Ghost: By Oscar Wilde

Canterville Ghost

You can also view the film here .

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Hello there! I am Avil Beckford, the founder of The Invisible Mentor. I am also a published author, writer, expert interviewer host of The One Problem Podcast and MoreReads Success Blueprint, a movement to help participants learn in-demand skills for future jobs. Sign-up for MoreReads: Blueprint to Change the World today! In the meantime, Please support me by buying my e-books Visit My Shop , and thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest !

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Booklover Book Reviews

THE CANTERVILLE GHOST by Oscar Wilde, Book Review

Review Summary: In The Canterville Ghost , with modern prose and themes, and characters like caricatures, Oscar Wilde lampoons traditional ghost stories.

The Canterville Ghost Short Synopsis:

A terrifying ghost is haunting the ancient mansion of Canterville Chase, complete with creaking floorboards, clanking chains and gruesome disguises – but the new occupants, the Otis family, seem strangely undisturbed by his presence. Deftly contrasting the conventional gothic ghost story with the pragmatism of the modern world, Wilde creates a gently comic fable of the conflict between old and new.

Rupert Degas’s hilarious reading brings the absurdity and theatricality of the story to life.

(Unabridged Audiobook Length: 1 hr and 17 mins,  W F Howes )

Genre: Audio, Classics, Humour, Historical, Literature, Mystery

Disclosure: If you click a link in this post we may earn a small commission to help offset our running costs.

BOOK REVIEW

With so many wonderful new books being released I’ve not found time to read many of the classics. Only quite recently have I discovered the brilliance of Oscar Wilde’s satirical works. I found the audiobook versions of The Importance of Being Earnest and Lady Windermere’s Fan  an absolute delight – the perfect thing to brighten my mood during the daily commute. Next on my list was his short story  The Canterville Ghost .

I’m not drawn to ghost stories, so I was relieved to find The Canterville Ghost  is atypical of the genre.

Firstly, a large portion of the hilarious narrative is from the viewpoint of the ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville who is immensely frustrated by the Otis family’s arrival at his long-time home ‘Canterville Chase’. Secondly, while the setting is definitely gothic this story actually lampoons traditional features of ghost stories; the appearance of bloodstains, the creaking floorboards and the sound of rattling chains. It is a satire or parody of gothic fiction.

Themes and characters

The underlying theme of this novel is actually the clash of stereotypical American consumerism and traditional British historical sensibilities but taken to the extreme.

“The next morning, when the Otis family met at breakfast, they discussed the ghost at some length. The United States Minister was naturally a little annoyed to find that his present had not been accepted. “I have no wish,” he said, “to do the ghost any personal injury, and I must say that, considering the length of time he has been in the house, I don’t think it is at all polite to throw pillows at him”—a very just remark, at which, I am sorry to say, the twins burst into shouts of laughter. “Upon the other hand,” he continued, “if he really declines to use the Rising Sun Lubricator, we shall have to take his chains from him. It would be quite impossible to sleep, with such a noise going on outside the bedrooms.”

The key characters, Sir Simon de Canterville (ghost), British aristocrats Lord and Lady Canterville (previous owners of the property), new wealthy American owners Mr and Mrs Otis (a minister and NY socialite, respectively), their artistic teenage daughter Virginia Otis and her younger twin brothers, read more like caricatures. The twin boy characters are not even named, simply referred to by their nickname ‘The Stars and Stripes’. Virginia is the most likeable member of the Otis family, being sympathetic towards the curmudgeonly Sir Simon de Canterville (even when he steals her paints), rather than fearful.

Note: If you are wanting a detailed analysis and summary of The Canterville Ghost characters, themes, plot and even chapter by chapter, CourseHero is an excellent resource.

What I am continually impressed by is how modern and fresh Oscar Wilde’s prose still sounds. It would be easy to forget it was penned in the late 1800s.

Rupert Degas’ narration of The Canterville Ghost  audiobook is first class.

The deadpan and quizzical tone of his delivery enhances the intended sarcasm of The Canterville Ghost text ( listen to a sample ).

While I strongly recommend enjoying this tale in the audiobook medium (it’s only a short listen at 1 hr 17 mins), this novel has been translated to the big screen several times. For example, check out this movie trailer of The Canterville Ghost (1996) starring Patrick Stewart and Neve Campbell.

How’s that for a retro blast from the past? But in all seriousness, thankfully the  TV movie of The Canterville Ghost (1997) starring Ian Richardson and Celia Imrie appears to be much more faithful to the story’s characters and period setting.

According to IMDb, there is yet another remake of this classic currently in pre-production, an animated movie  featuring the voices of Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry (the ghost) and Miranda Hart. I’ll definitely be checking that out.

The Canterville Ghost is another highly entertaining piece of classic literature from a writer born well before his time. It is one well worth finding the time to read.

BOOK RATING:  The Story 4.5 / 5; The Writing 4.5 / 5

Get your copy of The Canterville Ghost  from:

Amazon Booktopia OR listen to the audiobook FREE with Audible’s Trial (check eligibility)

RELATED READS: We have subsequently also enjoyed listening to another of Oscar Wilde’s plays, An Ideal Husband in audio. Plus Author Laura Lee shared with us the fascinating story of how she came to write Oscar’s Ghost , the first book to focus on the battle for this author‘s legacy.

About the Author, Oscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish writer and poet . After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London’s most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. Today he is remembered for his epigrams, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray , his plays, and the circumstances of his imprisonment and early death .

Booklover Fact: More than 36,500 people have rated this title on Goodreads.

A booklover with diverse reading interests, who has been reviewing books and sharing her views and opinions on this website and others since 2009.

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Book Review — The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

Abigail Siegel

A Ghostly Tale — Book Reviews

NOVEMBER 25, 2020 ~ A. SIEGELSTER

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Canterville Ghost is about an American family in the late 19th century that moves into Lord Canterville’s large and old home. However, the large house is haunted by Canterville’s ancestor, who tries to frighten the family away, or even to death! But this family isn’t to be scared away by a ghost, and is even intrigued by the historical mysteries it still carries.

I had known about this story before I read it, as I had watched a cartoon version of it when I was little, which had very minor differences. The Canterville Ghost is my first full Oscar Wilde reading (I’m still in the middle of Dorian Gray) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Oscar Wilde and a ghost story is the perfect combination. Using his artful language and wit, he is able to humorously tell the tale of an utter failure of a ghost even among the mysterious and beautifully-described gothic atmosphere of the house. The only thing I would wish to be different, at least a little bit, is the ending, which was nice, but I think I would have liked it to be more than just nice. It didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story, however.

The Canterville Ghost is definitely up there with my favorite ghost stories, and Wilde’s way of telling ghost stories is wonderfully refreshing. I recommend this story to those who want some wit in a gothic setting. I listened to this book on Audible, and I very much enjoyed it as an audiobook.

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Written by Abigail Siegel

Author and Book Reviewer. Writes Poetry and Short Stories that concern Myth, Folklore, and some Horror. Owner of the most vivid imagination.

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The Canterville Ghost – Horror Mixed With Humor!

• ⏳ [read_meter]

Some books stay with you much longer than others. And The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde is certainly one of them for me. I had first read it as part of my CBSE syllabus. Back in school, I used to wonder how it would be to read something of this sort without the pressure of scoring well. And when I did, it turned out to be nothing short of an extremely delightful experience.

The Canterville Ghost (Review)

The title might make you think that it is a ghost story that will induce a shiver down your spine. Well, sorry to break your bubble, but you are up for a major surprise. It is anything but scary!

The introduction by Kaushal Goyal describes The Canterville Ghost as a study in contrasts. Read on to find out what that means. The short story has every possible trope of traditional gothic literature; be it clanking chains, cracking floorboards, or changing weather. What more, the very first page has a passing mention of two skeleton hands. But Wilde uses these devices as a means of participating in and parodying the gothic tradition itself. General notions and stereotypes are what he aims to lampoon at each juncture.

Recommended Reading For You! 📖 📚

Wilde excels in the economy of words, using fewer words to say more. But the winning factor is how fresh these words read/sound even today, though the story was first published, as part of The Court and Society Review magazine, in the late 1800s. His wild blending of macabre with comedy is as imaginative as it can get. For most parts, the irony is what lends the story its comic timing. The juxtaposition of misfit elements and situations begins the moment Wilde places a typical American family in an old British country house, Canterville Chase.

Everything is so categorically reversed from the onset itself that you know you have signed up for a rollercoaster ride. Unlike in most ghost stories, Sir Simon (a three-hundred-year-old ghost) is the narrator here. The story is told from his point of view, and it is his emotions that we get to see. Hilarity arises when Sir Simor’s innumerable attempts at scaring off the new inhabitants (the Otis family) go in vain. Oddly enough, it is him who ends up ill and terrified of the “wild shrieks of laughter from the twins.”

Washington’s (the elder son) way of mentioning the Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent sounds like a ludicrous advertisement. But it is one of the many jibes at the Americans’ “practical way of dealing with the problem.” How Sir Simon speaks of the mundaneness of ghost life is just as funny as it is a firm reminder of the British aristocracy’s seemingly bizarre routines. He seamlessly creates a plethora of blink-and-you-will-miss-it moments throughout. With multiple interesting incidents unfolding one after the other, he keeps you on edge. Like most ghost stories, you are always wondering what would happen next. Almost every page of this seven-chapter-long short story has a one-liner that is likely to have you in splits. But my favorite one has to be Sir Simon’s description of Lady Eleanor de Canterville’s (his wife) murder as a family matter, which concerned no one else.

There is a tonal shift towards the end. Silliness makes room for some seriousness. The ending, if I may say so, is somewhat open. By making Virginia (the Otis’ fifteen-year-old daughter) hold on to her secret, Wilde makes us ponder more over the basic message of the story, “what Life is, and what Death signifies, and why Love is stronger than both.” Ultimately, Virginia’s marriage to the Duke of Cheshire comes across as a blend of the two cultures. And this symbolism brings the playful sparring of the Old and New World to a full circle. The ending was too sentimental for my taste, I admit. But it still left me yearning for more. I wish Wilde had given us some more scoops of this delish drama.

So, here is the deal. This entertaining and engaging piece is highly recommended for children and adults alike. It can serve as a great mood lifter during gloomy lockdown days. Even at a slow pace, you can finish it in a couple of hours. And for those of you who could not and would not get enough of it (like me!), you can find several stage and screen adaptations of the short story. Honestly, you really have to be living under a rock to not be familiar with Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde. But if you are, do check out his other remarkable works like The Importance of Being Earnest, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Happy Prince. You can get the book here! 📖

The Canterville Ghost

URL: https://bookwritten.com/the-canterville-ghost-by-oscar-wilde-review/1692/

Author: Oscar Wilde

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She Reads Novels

"she had read novels while other people perused the sunday papers" – mary elizabeth braddon, review: the canterville ghost by oscar wilde.

The Canterville Ghost is a ghost story with a difference. It takes place in an English country house, Canterville Chase, which for centuries has been said to be haunted. When a rich American called Mr Otis moves into the house with his wife and children, Lord Canterville feels he should warn them about Sir Simon, the resident ghost. However, the Otis family aren’t afraid of ghosts and no matter how hard Sir Simon tries, they simply refuse to be frightened!

For anyone reading this review and thinking this book is not for you because you’re scared of ghost stories, I can promise you that it’s really not scary at all – I would describe it as more of a comedy and a clever satire. Wilde juxtaposes an atmospheric gothic setting, the typical British ‘haunted house’, with a practical American family who have an amusing way of reacting to the appearance of Sir Simon.

Right in front of him he saw, in the wan moonlight, an old man of terrible aspect. His eyes were as red burning coals; long grey hair fell over his shoulders in matted coils; his garments, which were of antique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from his wrists and ankles hung heavy manacles and rusty gyves. “My dear sir,” said Mr. Otis, “I really must insist on your oiling those chains, and have brought you for that purpose a small bottle of the Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator.”

Wilde is clearly having fun creating British and American stereotypes and using them to explore cultural differences, though he does it in a witty and inoffensive way. Another thing I liked is that some of the story is told from the ghost’s perspective, so that our sympathy is with him rather than the Otis family.

Although the ending is a bit too sweet and sentimental, I really enjoyed this unusual little book! It’s funny, imaginative, and so easy to read it’s suitable for younger readers as well as adults.

(As a side note, I read this book on Saturday 16th October, which happened to be Oscar Wilde’s 156th birthday. I had no idea of this until after I’d finished the book, turned on my laptop and saw that Google were honouring the occasion with a Google Doodle. Very appropriate!)

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49 thoughts on “ review: the canterville ghost by oscar wilde ”.

Saw a lovely version of this with Patrick Stewart as the ghost. Wonderful story.

I’ve never seen that one but I do remember watching a cartoon version once!

i was founding this and got here so thnx very muc and i will read this for sure

I think this is just the book for me. I would definitely give this a try. What a great coincidence to read it on Wilde’s b’day.

Yes, that was a nice surprise! I hope you enjoy the book if you decide to read it.

I need to read more Wilde. I have a whole collection here with me…

I’ve only read this one and The Picture of Dorian Gray but I hope to read more of his work eventually.

I love Oscar Wilde! And ghosts! I must read this!

It sounds perfect for you, then! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂

well i liked it as a part time reading book . it’s fun reading ghost stories at free time

I like story with the ghost.This story is little scary but comic

I liked the story a lot. It has a scary name but it is not that haunting

Hmmm……i’ll try it !

this story is very intresting nd thisis not scary story like his name.

interesting story, but i feel sympathetic for the ghost.

It’s a wnderful book by wilde.It’s wrth reading.Everyone shuld try it.

i really liked it but it was given as a home work to us and after reading this novel i came to know about the fact that we should not afraid of ghost .Have some pity on them and always remember that how they feel…………………….

firstly i think it just like a simple novel but i think that why should don’t i give this a chance then i came to 9 about this wonder ful, heart hacker novel . i read it again & again…& enjoy a lotttt thanks OSCAR WILDE TO give it to us ….

this book rock as well as sucks

once my frnd recommended me to read this novel by hearing the name i thought that it would be scary but when i read the story, i found it to be interesting and not at all scary infact it is a comical type novel at the same time in the ending I was full of sympathy for the poor old ghost Sr.Simon the best characters of the novel are Sr. Simon and Virginia Otis

I think this is an interesting story with some super natural features.It is also a funny story as in this story GHOST is afraid of people in the chase.

i like this book very much

really intresting 1

wicked! ghost & twins”

Very nyc book.. It contains humour, romance bt very much less horror… A must read book for all..:)

this novel is very funny and imaginative…. i really enjoyed reading this book ……….. and i like the twins characters………

I LIKE THE BOOK..

REALLY VERY INTRESTING NOVEL…

useles book……d most boring book i hv evr read in my whole life…it sucks

this is not useles book . reply me.

its scary with fun

very interesting book

i think the story is tooo gud

I will read this book and I think this book having lots of fun. I like this novel.

i’ll also read this book. it is very very good story. this novel having lots of fun. and tooo gud THANK YOU!

I like this novel it is having so many funs.

i read it first time& i lik it

I like this novel

I like this novel its verry funny and like this santence love is big life aur death samthing

lovely novel

its such a lovly novel

its a lovly novel”””

ilike it most becoz its a very intresting novel

i enjoyed reading dis buk

toooooo…… good

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › British Literature › Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost

Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on June 18, 2022

First published in the Court and Society Review, “The Canterville Ghost,” subtitled “a Hylo-Idealistic Romance,” concerns an American minister, Mr. Hiram B. Otis, who buys a haunted English mansion from Lord Canterville. When warned about the ghost by Canterville, Mr. Otis replies only that since Americans live in a modern country and have everything that money can buy, if there is a ghost they would just as soon have it in a museum. Canterville tells Otis that the ghost has been around since 1584 and makes an appearance before any family death. Otis refuses to believe that there is any ghost, and the purchase is completed.

The Otis family consists of Hiram; his wife, the New York belle Lucretia R. Tappan; their eldest son, Washington; their 15-year-old daughter, Virginia; and their twins, nicknamed the “Stars and Stripes.” Upon entering their new home, Mrs. Otis notices a bloodstain which the housekeeper identifies as the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, murdered by her husband Sir Simon in 1575. It is Sir Simon’s ghost that haunts Canterville. He survived his wife for nine years before disappearing under strange circumstances, and his body was never discovered. Washington promptly removes the stain with Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent. The next morning, the bloodstain has returned, as it does each morning after Washington removes it. One night, Mr. Otis is awakened by the clanging of metal and the appearance of the Canterville ghost. With red eyes, long gray matted hair, ragged clothes, and chains hanging from his wrists and ankles, the ghost is furious when Otis calmly requests that he use Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator to silence the noise of the chains. When the ghost flees, groaning in an attempt to terrify the family, the twins throw pillows at him. In 300 years, the Canterville ghost has not been so insulted. He mentally runs through his list of brilliant performances, all of which resulted in the death or madness of those he frightened, and vows revenge.

The humiliation of the ghost continues, and he finally resorts to stealing Virginia’s paints to restore the bloodstain that Washington removes daily. His groans cause Mrs. Otis to recommend Dr. Dobell’s tincture for indigestion to the ghost, and the twins set up a mock ghost that terrifies him. The ghost resolves to himself that these are gross materialists incapable of appreciating him, and he determines to do only his minimal duty as a ghost. He even tries the Rising Sun Lubricator and finds that it does indeed oil his chains well. After a butter slide set up by the twins trips him, he vows to try his most terrible disguise, Reckless Rupert, or the Headless Earl. But the twins douse him with water and laugh at him. The Canterville ghost gives up his nocturnal wanderings, and the family generally assumes that the ghost is gone.

One day, Virginia notices the ghost sitting alone in the tapestry chamber. He admits to killing his wife and then says that her brothers starved him in retaliation. The ghost tells Virginia that he cannot sleep and that he wishes to die, but that he cannot until the prophecy written on the library window is fulfilled. The prophecy requires a golden girl to pray and weep for the soul of the ghost. She agrees, and they disappear together. At midnight, Virginia reappears to her frantic family with a beautiful box of jewels and with the news that the ghost is dead. She takes her family into a chamber where a gaunt skeleton stretches out his hand for an out-of-reach water jug. The family holds a funeral for the ghost, and not long after, Virginia marries her sweetheart, a duke. The story closes when the duke asks her what happened when she was locked up with the ghost. Virginia refuses to answer, and only blushes when the Duke asks if she will tell their children.

In “The Canterville Ghost,” Oscar Wilde draws on fairy tales, the popular gothic conventions of the 19th century, and the portrait of the American abroad to shape his comic ghost story. Possible sources for the ghost of Sir Simon include Alfred Tennyson’s poem “Maud” as well as Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Christabel.” Wilde also emphasizes Sir Simon’s performance of a role, the importance of masks and appearance, and the discrepancy between the public and private self, all of which are repeated themes in Wilde’s work. The clearly allegorical names of the children—Washington, Virginia, and the Stars and Stripes—suggests that they come from a country in which everything can be bought and commodified, in which the bloodstains from the past are easily removed with the newest brand of detergent. Henry Labouchere, who endorsed Wilde’s lecture tour in America in 1882, hoped that Wilde’s hyperaestheticism might offer a corrective for America’s hypermaterialism, and it is this hypermaterialism that characterizes the Americans of Wilde’s story. That England’s ghosts and skeletons simply fail to haunt the American Otis family is a central point in “The Canterville Ghost.” The ghost cannot haunt the American family, and it is only in the young girl Virginia that Wilde hints at a more vexed relationship to the past. She eventually marries a duke, making her father uneasy that she is united with a titled figure of the past. She is the character most aligned with the ghost, and she disappears with him for hours for which she will not account. At her husband’s urging to tell what occurred between her and the ghost, or at least to tell their children one day, Virginia only blushes, though it remains unclear whether she blushes at the allusion to sexuality within the marriage, at the mystery of her time with the ghost, or at some combination of the two.

Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s Plays

BIBLIOGRAPHY Wilde, Oscar. The Canterville Ghost and Other Stories. New York: Dover, 2001.

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The Canterville Ghost – Book Review

The Canterville Ghost is a gothic fiction written by Oscar Wilde. It was published in 1887. It is more of a short story than a novel.

The story is about an American family who move to a castle haunted by the ghost of a dead nobleman who killed his wife. Then, he was starved to death by his wife’s brothers. The story tells the experience of the family with the ghost.

I read this book in my school days as a part of my syllabus. At first I thought that the book was boring because of the language and words that were used but when I read it further, because I had no choice, I realized it to be interesting. It was funny, illogical and not so horror story. It was a complete new genre and a completely different style of writing that attracted me into reading this book not only for marks but for me. I really enjoyed reading this book and I would suggest everyone to read it.

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The Canterville Ghost

31 pages • 1 hour read

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Summary and Study Guide

The Canterville Ghost , by Oscar Wilde, is a story about forgiveness, love, and the clash of Old World and New World beliefs. Through a satirical approach, Wilde highlights the shortcomings of each set of beliefs and how the characters overcome those shortcomings to bridge the two worlds.

The story begins with Hiram Otis and Lord Canterville discussing the ghost that haunts Canterville Chase, where the Otis family will be living. When they arrive, they find a blood stain that reappears every morning in the library, where Sir Simon de Canterville murdered his wife in the sixteenth century. It is his ghost that haunts the Chase. Hiram’s oldest son, Washington, tries to remove the stain with detergent, but it keeps coming back.

Sir Simon tries to frighten the Otis family, but instead of being frightened, Hiram offers the ghost a lubrication solution to keep his chains from rattling, so that he and his family can sleep. The two youngest of the Otis family, twins referred to as Stars and Stripes, play tricks to humiliate Sir Simon, and Lucretia Otis, Hiram’s wife, offers the ghost a tincture for indigestion when she hears him cry out.

What follows is a sort of war between the twins and Sir Simon’s ghost. Over time, they continue to torment him, until he is afraid to make too much noise at night. When the Duke of Cheshire, one of Virginia Otis’ suitors, comes to visit, Sir Simon decides he will scare him, but is too frightened of the twins to go through with it.

When Virginia finds Sir Simon sulking, she agrees to help him find his way to everlasting rest—and peace—by undergoing a frightening journey with him, to cry and pray for forgiveness of his sins. She’s successful, and before he fully dies, he rewards her with a casket of jewels . Though Hiram tries to give the jewels to Lord Canterville, Lord Canterville insists that Virginia keep them.

While she’d been gone, Hiram, Washington, and Cecil (the Duke of Cheshire) all searched for her. Hiram suspected a local group of gypsies of having kidnapped her, but was proved wrong when he learned that they had gone to a fair. Four of them stayed behind to help with the search.

At the end of the story, Virginia marries the Duke of Cheshire, and they are happily in love. Sir Simon is laid to rest, and all the main characters are happy, having learned that love is the reason for existence.

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The Canterville Ghost

Oscar wilde.

The Canterville Ghost

John escott  ( adaptor ) , oscar wilde.

56 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 1887

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John Escott

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The Canterville Ghost By Oscar Wilde. Paperback – Large Print, October 7, 2016

• Print length 44 pages
• Language English
• Publication date October 7, 2016
• Dimensions 6 x 0.1 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10 1539382567
• ISBN-13 978-1539382560
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; Large Print edition (October 7, 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 44 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1539382567
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1539382560
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.56 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.1 x 9 inches
• #12,019 in Ghost Fiction

About the author

Oscar wilde.

Oscar Fingall O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford where, a disciple of Pater, he founded an aesthetic cult. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd, and his two sons were born in 1885 and 1886.

His novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), and social comedies Lady Windermere's Fan (1892), A Woman of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1895), and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), established his reputation. In 1895, following his libel action against the Marquess of Queesberry, Wilde was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for homosexual conduct, as a result of which he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), and his confessional letter De Profundis (1905). On his release from prison in 1897 he lived in obscurity in Europe, and died in Paris in 1900.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 56% 28% 12% 3% 2% 56%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 56% 28% 12% 3% 2% 28%
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Customers say

Customers find the book very entertaining, charming, and appropriate for young school children. They also describe the storyline as fabulous and quick to read. Opinions are mixed on the emotional impact, with some finding it captivating and melancholy, while others find it pitiful.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book very entertaining, fanciful, humorous, charming, kind, and enjoyable. They also say it's appropriate for young school children.

"...All in all, if you like dry, witty British humor with an expected and sweet ending, you will like this book." Read more

"...So a good funny quick tale that's told in the 4th person narration. I read it with this free kindle edition along with a iTunes audio...." Read more

"...It's a humorous tale that takes a slight twist at the end." Read more

"This is a good literary read . Funny with a lot of dark comedy. Enjoyable for all ages, it is a testament to Oscar Wilde's genius." Read more

Customers find the storyline fabulous, quick, and short. They also say it's about an American family.

"A beautiful story about a little girl and her family along with a troubled ghost...." Read more

"...This was a very enjoyable story , I just thought you didn't really see enough character development to make it seem anything more than fluffy." Read more

"What a great old fashioned ghost story with a twist. I recommend this book to anyone. Halloween is almost here!" Read more

"...So, I rate it at an OK 3 stars out of 5. It's very short and free, though, so give it a try." Read more

Customers find the book quick, well written, riveting, and enjoyable to read. They also mention that the use of English is simple, flowing, and interesting for any age.

"...Not sure what Wilde was saying about Americans though! Great writing ." Read more

"...I personally liked the story's quick and easy reading pace . It actually made me giggle a bit when I was expecting to get frightened...." Read more

"...It was a fast , fun read." Read more

"The Canterville Ghost is a quick , funny, happy read for anyone who loves great wordplay involving the use of 'generally serious' words to..." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the emotional impact of the book. Some find it captivating, melancholy, and sweet at the same time. They also say it's touching and relevant, with a relevant ending. However, others find it pitiful, sad, and idiotic.

"...is so hot-headed, so easily confused, so obtuse (at times) and so empathetic that the story would be worth reading for Wilde's treatment of him alone..." Read more

"...A wave of different emotions , captivating, melancholy and a lesson to be learned ... Or two" Read more

"...However on a second reading it is quite sad ...." Read more

"...It's great satire, and yet has a compelling story and a rather touching ending ...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the content. Some find it fascinating and holds their attention, while others say it makes no sense at all.

"What a beautiful little story. What a grasp of American society Wilde had . Made me smile while I was reading, something that I don't usually do." Read more

"...But his character is so hot-headed, so easily confused , so obtuse (at times) and so empathetic that the story would be worth reading for Wilde's..." Read more

"...A wave of different emotions, captivating, melancholy and a lesson to be learned ... Or two" Read more

"...is all about redemption for past sins and is every entertaining and interesting . Not sure what Wilde was saying about Americans though!..." Read more

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