Oscar Wilde-intro about autor

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 only
novel (The Picture of Dorian Gray), his plays, and the circumstances of his imprisonment and early
death.
Wilde's parents were successful Anglo-Irish Dublin intellectuals. Their son became fluent in French
and German early in life. At university, Wilde read Greats; he proved himself to be an outstanding
classicist, first at Dublin, then at Oxford. He became known for his involvement in the rising
philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After
university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles. As a spokesman for
aestheticism, he tried his hand at various literary activities: he published a book of poems, lectured
in the United States and Canada on the new "English Renaissance in Art", and then returned to
London where he worked prolifically as a journalist. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and
glittering conversation, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day.
At the turn of the 1890s, he refined his ideas about the supremacy of art in a series of dialogues
and essays, and incorporated themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty into his only novel, The
Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). The opportunity to construct aesthetic details precisely, and
combine them with larger social themes, drew Wilde to write drama. He wrote Salome (1891) in
French in Paris but it was refused a licence for England due to the absolute prohibition of Biblical
subjects on the English stage. Unperturbed, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early
1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late Victorian London.
At the height of his fame and success, while his masterpiece, The Importance of Being
Earnest (1895), was still on stage in London, Wilde had the Marquess of Queensberry prosecuted
for libel. The Marquess was the father of Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The charge carried a
penalty of up to two years in prison. The trial unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his
charges and led to his own arrest and trial for gross indecency with other men. After two more
trials he was convicted and imprisoned for two years' hard labour. In 1897, in prison, he wrote De
Profundis, which was published in 1905, a long letter which discusses his spiritual journey through
his trials, forming a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. Upon his release he left
immediately for France, never to return to Ireland or Britain. There he wrote his last work, The
Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life. He died
destitute in Paris at the age of forty-six.

Plot
The story begins when Mr Otis' family shifted to Canterville Palace, despite warnings from
Canterville that the house is haunted. Mr. Otis says he will take furniture as well as ghost at
valuation. The Otis family includes Mr. and Mrs. Otis, their daughter Virginia, twin boys (often
referred to as "Stars and Stripes") and their eldest son Washington. At first, none of the members

of the Otis family believes in ghosts, but shortly after they move in, none of them can deny the
presence of Sir Simon (The Ghost). The family hears clanking chains, they witness re-appearing
bloodstains "on the floor just by the fireplace", which is removed every time it appears in various
forms (colors). But, humorously, none of these scare the Otises in the least. In fact, upon hearing
the clanking noises in the hallway, Mr. Otis promptly gets out of bed and pragmatically offers the
ghost Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator to oil his chains.
Despite Sir Simons attempts to appear in the most gruesome guises, the family refuses to be
frightened, and Sir Simon feels increasingly helpless and humiliated. When Mrs. Otis notices a
mysterious red mark on the floor, she simply replies that she does not at all care for blood stains
in the sitting room. When Mrs. Umney, the housekeeper, informs Mrs. Otis that the blood stain is
indeed evidence of the ghost and cannot be removed, Washington Otis, the eldest son, suggests
that the stain will be removed with Pinkertons Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent: A
quick fix, like the Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator, and a practical way of dealing with the problem.
Wilde describes Mrs. Otis as a very handsome middle-aged woman who has been a celebrated
New York belle. Her expression of "modern" American culture surfaces when she immediately
resorts to using the commercial stain remover to obliterate the bloodstains and when she expresses
an interest in joining the Psychical Society to help her understand the ghost. Mrs. Otis is given
Wilde's highest praise when he says: "Indeed, in many respects, she was quite English..."
The most colourful character in the story is undoubtedly the ghost himself, Sir Simon, who goes
about his duties with theatrical panache and flair. He assumes a series of dramatic roles in his
failed attempts to impress and terrify the Otises, making it easy to imagine him as a comical
character in a stage play. The ghost has the ability to change forms, so he taps into his repertoire
of tricks. He takes the role of ghostly apparitions such as a Headless Earl, a Strangled Babe, the
Blood-Sucker of Bexley Moor, Suicides Skeleton, and the Corpse-Snatcher of Chertsey Barn, all
having succeeded in horrifying previous castle residents over the centuries. But none of them works
with these Americans. Sir Simon schemes, but even as his costumes become increasingly gruesome,
his antics do nothing to scare his house guests, and the Otises succeed in failing him every time. He
falls victim to trip wires, pea shooters, butter-slides, and falling buckets of water. In a particularly
comical scene, he is frightened by the sight of a ghost, rigged up by the mischievous twins.
During the course of the story, as narrated from Sir Simon's viewpoint, he tells us the complexity
of the ghosts emotions. he sees himself brave, frightening, distressed, scared, and finally,
depressed and weak. He exposes his vulnerability during an encounter with Virginia, Mr. Otis's
fifteen-year-old daughter. Virginia is different from everyone else in the family, and Sir Simon
recognizes this fact. He tells her that he has not slept in three hundred years and wants
desperately to do so. The ghost reveals to Virginia the tragic tale of his wife, Lady Eleanor de
Canterville.
Unlike the rest of her family, Virginia does not dismiss the ghost. She takes him seriously; she
listens to him and learns an important lesson, as well as the true meaning behind a riddle. Sir Simon
de Canterville says that she must weep for him for he has no tears, she must pray for him for he
has no faith and then she must accompany him to the angel of death and beg for Death's mercy
upon Sir Simon. She does weep for him and pray for him, and she disappears with Sir Simon through
the wainscoting and goes with him to the Garden of Death and bids the ghost farewell. Then she

reappears at midnight, through a panel in the wall, carrying jewels and news that Sir Simon has
passed on to the next world and no longer resides in the house. Virginias ability to accept Sir Simon
leads to her enlightenment; Sir Simon, she tells her husband several years later, helped her
understand what Life is, what Death signifies, and why Love is stronger than both.
Story
The Canterville Ghost is a study in contrasts. Wilde places the Otises in a British land. He creates
stereotypical characters that represent both England and the United States, and he presents each
of these characters as comical figures, satirizing both the unrefined tastes of Americans and the
determination of the British to guard their traditions. Sir Simon is not a symbol of England, as
perhaps Mrs. Umney is, but rather a paragon of British culture. In this sense, he stands in perfect
contrast to the Otises. By pitting the ghost and the Otises against each other, Wilde clearly wishes
to emphasize the clash of culture between England and the USA.
The story illustrates Wildes tendency to reverse situations into their opposites as the Otises gain
the upper hand and succeed in terrorizing the ghost rather than be terrorized by him. This ghost
story is told from the perspective of the ghost, Sir Simon. Sir Simon could logically be labeled the
protagonist in this story, as it is he who faces the challenge of overcoming adversity and
bettering his life.
Though Wilde tells a humorous tale, it appears that he also has a message, and he uses fifteenyear-old Virginia to convey it. Virginia says that the ghost helped her see the significance of life
and death, and why love is stronger than both. This is certainly not the first time an author has
used the traditional ghost story and the theme of life and death to examine the issue of
forgiveness; ghosts, after all, presumably remain in this realm because, for some reason, they are
unable to move on. Wildes ghost, Sir Simon, had been very wicked, Virginia tells her father after
she returns to the castle. But he was really sorry for all that he had done. God has forgiven him,
Virginia tells her father, and because of that forgiveness, in the end, Sir Simon de Canterville can
rest in peace.

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 arent 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 youre scared of ghost
stories, I can promise you that its 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.
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 ghosts 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! Its
funny, imaginative, and so easy to read its suitable for younger readers as well as adults.
ABOUT THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Children love being told bedtime stories, and Oscar Wilde knew that. In fact, that is how many of
his short stories began. He would make them up on the spot for his sons Vyvyan and Cyril, and then
polish the tales for publication. The Canterville Ghost, the first of Wildes stories to be published,
must have had his sons curling up in laughter at each comic moment. Perhaps the two naughty boys
in the story, nicknamed Stars and Stripes, who tease the poor ghost, were modelled on Vyvyan and
Cyril warning them of the effects their actions might have on others. Whether this is true or not,
his sons must have approved of the story, as it went on to appear serially in the magazine The Court
and Society Review in 1887.
However, we can look at The Canterville Ghost as more than just a childrens story, not least
because of its inclusion in the 1891 collection Lord Arthur Saviles Crime and Other Stories. The
title story and the others in this collection ( The Sphinx Without a Secret, The Model
Millionaire and The Portrait of Mr W.H.) are decidedly grown-up. They deal with relationships,
mistrust, mystery, deception and death i.e. not always the kind of subjects that parents would
imagine reading to their children. They do not have the softness of tone found in The Rose and the
Nightingale and The Happy Prince. So Wilde must have felt that The Canterville Ghost had
something to add to this adult collection, and hence it is a story that works on two levels.
Wilde wished
to keep himself
above pandering
to public opinion
and tastes
Anyone already familiar with Wilde will know that satire imbues his work. No exception has been
made here. He upturns the traditional ghost story by mixing the macabre with comedy in describing
creaking floorboards and clanking chains with particular irony. Mr Otis reacts to these supernatural

occurrences by offering the ghost lubricant for his chains, whilst his sons play mean tricks on him.
The ghost loses his sense of authority and becomes vulnerable, so that we ultimately consider him
as the hero (the character we sympathise with) and the family as the villains. This is a reversal of
the usual roles in traditional ghost stories. Wilde may also be making a teasing social comment,
through the English tenants who faint at the ancient superstition and the Americans who are not in
the least bit disconcerted by their haunting. Wilde does keep the use of a moral at the end, as fairy
tales were used to educate children on cultural and moral values, but it is not an essential element
of the story. Whilst an adult may pick up on Wildes various themes and techniques, a child may just
find entertainment in the satisfying narrative.
Another point of interest is the storys comparison to A Christmas Carol. Dickenss Christmas tale
was published in 1843 44 years before The Canterville Ghost. Was Wilde making reference or
poking fun at this Victorian morality tale? Will the consumerist Otis family members meet the same
fate as Scrooge would have done if they do not take Sir Simon the ghost seriously? Is Virginia the
Tiny Tim who encourages the main character to change his ways? One can only guess. But what is
certain is that Wilde embarked upon writing short stories (fairy tales, ghost and detective stories)
as a means of securing creative and commercial success, no doubt hoping to emulate the fame of
writers such as Conan Doyle. Yet, despite his financial needs, Wilde wished to keep himself above
pandering to public opinion and tastes, and so his distinctive parodic style emerged, and can be seen
in The Canterville Ghost. His use of parody could be playful, but also subversive, to expose the
discrepancy that often occurred between societys manners and morals.
Yet Wildes constant affection towards children cannot be denied another reason for his decision
to write these stories. He wasnt just making social comments: he was writing for children. After
all, innocence allows children to see the truth to which many adults are blind; and Wilde would have
liked that.

The historical background and its connection to the story

During the nineteenth century the 2 nd Indrustrial Revolition was developed, which produced
an accelerated technology out of new products and industries. There was also a technological
breakthrough.
This caused a great rivalry between the countries regarding the economy and politics,
especially between The United States and England, who were the two world powers at that
time.
Oscar Wilde relates this competition and mocks the two countries. He mocks England when the
Otis family come home and is not afraid of the ghost, and mocks The United States when Mr.
Otis, who has a lot of money, buys the house and he also pretends to buy the ghost.
Popular forms of entretainment varied by social class. Victorian Britain was interested in
literature, theaters, the arts, music, drama and opera.
Another form of entretaiment involved the spectacles where paranormal events such as ghost
conjuring and the like were carried out to the delight of crowds and participants.
The belief in manifestation of the spirits of the dead is widespread. Ghosts are generally

described as solitary essences which haunt particular locations, objects, or people with which
they were associated in life.
The setting of The Canterville Ghost
The Canterville Ghost is set in an England mansion, Canterville Chase, at the end of the XIX
century which has all the accoutrements of a haunted house.
The main idea of text tells the story of a ghost that lives to torment the inhabitants of the
Canterville Chase.
This story has a fairly realistic setting even though the protagonist is the ghost. Are well
established customs of the family and the environment moves into an open mind with a
mysterious tone, so this is a fantasy novel of intrigue and dramatic ideas.
The themes in the Canterville Ghost
The Canterville Ghost is a ghost story.
Ghost stories belong to the genre called horror literature, whose purpose is to scare the
reader with situations that cause horror or fear. The most common technique is suspense, the
slow insinuating of a doubt or of a frightening revelation, which keeps the reader interested.
This story can be defined an inverted ghost story, because a lot of elements are different
from the traditional ones. The main difference is the fact that Mr Otis is not scared by the
ghost, while usually people should be. Moreover, the Ghost itself is frightened by the Otis
twins.
There is also comic relief bordering on farce, including buckets of water balanced on halfopen doors. But the story has a dark centre. The crime and retribution which led to the
haunting is ghastly, and this is really not a comedy at all, but a tale of redemption through
the power of love. The innocent girl of the family, appropriately called Virginia, prays for the
ghost and endures terrifying if unnamed experiences to release the ghost.
Also, The Canterville Ghost is both a parody of the traditional ghost story and a satire of
the American way of life. Wilde obviously intends to satirize American materialism, but he
pokes fun at English traditional culture as well.

American vs. British society: The Canterville Ghost is a study in contrasts. Wilde takes an
American family, places them in a British setting, then, through a series of mishaps, pits one
culture against the other. He creates stereotypical characters that represent both England
and the United States, and he presents each of these characters as comical figures,
satirizing both the unrefined tastes of Americans and the determination of the British to
guard their traditions. Sir Simon is not a symbol of England, as perhaps Mrs. Umney is, but
rather a paragon of British culture. In this sense, he stands in perfect contrast to the

Otises. Sir Simon misunderstands the Otises just as they misunderstand him, and, by pitting
them against each other, Wilde clearly wishes to emphasize the culture clash between England
and the United States.
The characters in The Canterville Ghost
Main characters: The ghost, Virginia and Mr. Otis.
Secondary characters: Washington, Mrs. Otis, the twins, Duke of Chesire, Lord Canterville
and Mrs. Umney.

LORD CANTERVILLE: The owners of canterville chase who sold it to Mr. Otis. He warned
about the ghost.
MRS OTIS: She looked like an English Lady. She had been a well-known Ney York
beauty.

The mother isn't scared of the ghost and even asks him if he wants a remedy for

his stomach.
MR OTIS: The father of the Otis family. The American Ambassador. He bought the
Canterville Chase. He comes from a modern country where they have everything that money
can buy. He is determinated, inflexible, rational, practical and pragmatic, in conclusion a true
American
VIRGINIA: Was a lovely girl of fifteen with large blue eyes. She was a good sportswoman
and loved to ride horses. In respect to her family she is kind and with weling heart. The
daughter is the only one in the family who is scared by the ghost. She never speaks except to
the ghost, at the end of the story.
THE TWINS: Two happy little boys who laughed and shouted a lot. They liked to play tricks
on people and were often punished for them. All along the story, they imagine jokes and
even dress up as ghosts.
WASHINGTON: Was Mr. Otis son. He was a famous and excellent dancer. He was a very
sensible young man.
MRS UMNEY: She was the housekeeper. She was an old woman in a black dress. She believed
in the ghost. She was a representative of old British traditions.
THE GHOST: His name was Sir Simon and died in 1584, his spirit still haunts the Chase. He
murdered his wife. He disappeared and his body was never discovered. . His aspect is very
terrible:He is an old man, 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.

DUKE OF CHESIRE: He is a handsome young scapegracedesperately in love with the fifteenyear old Virginia Otis. When Virginia vanishes, he insists on being part of the search party.
As soon as she reappears, he smothers her with kisses. His devotion is rewarded, and Virginia
consents to become the Duchess of Cheshire.