Otis, leases the rural manor, Canterville Chase, and moves his loud, rambunctious family into the grim hall – all in spite of the locals’ grave warnings that it has been haunted for centuries. Towards the turn of the 20th century, the American ambassador to London, Hirim B. Was there still justice? Did morals still matter? Had we outgrown social accountability? Ghost stories answered these questions and soothed the aching growing pains of Victorian society as the next hundred years saw humanity graduate from candles, lancets, and buggies to electricity, penicillin, and automobiles. The clash between the not-so-distant past and the steam-powered future lead to a tremendous fashion of ghosts, providing a convenient and navigable space for modern Britons to ponder the rapidly developing times that they lived in. These tales generally decided that steam-engines, Darwinian biology, and mass-market publishing may have prettied mankind up a bit, but we were still subject to the same crimes, temptations, and terrors of our agrarian forefathers. Edwards, and Wilkie Collins, English readers were encouraged to question how far we truly had evolved.

In the end, there are happy endings involved for all.In ghost stories by Charles Dickens, Rhoda Broughton, Mrs. Simon murdered his wife and later, he was walled in alive and died of starvation. It’s almost tragic in a way that Simon is stuck, not by his choice. That’s the reason for such a typical characterization. There is this old-world aristocracy versus the modern and slightly wild new world. The characters in the story are caricatures but I think it’s on purpose. She is the only one he doesn’t try to scare her. Simon is fond of Virginia because she possesses a gentle nature. The Ghost is determined to drive away from the family but the twins give him competition. The boys are the typical characters in the sense of their behavior and antics. Otis have a teenage daughter, Virginia, and younger twin boys. The Otis family deals with the whole haunted thing in a very practical way. This story is a different take on the typical gothic-style horror tale.

Most of the story is told from Simon’s perspective. He has driven people away by horribly frightening them and plans to follow a similar plan to get rid of the Otis family. The ghost haunting Canterville is Sir Simon de Canterville, a former resident of the house. They consider themselves pragmatic and don’t believe in such superstitions. The Otis family moves into the castle even though they are warned of the ghost. It follows an American family moving into a haunted castle despite being warned about supernatural activities.Īn ancient castle of Canterville Chase is haunted by a terrifying ghost. I was excited to finally read The Canterville Ghost. I have always enjoyed Oscar Wilde’s writing.

The ghost of canterville oscar wilde