Ghosts Group

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cb23
cb23
Student
High School - 11th Grade

In "Ghosts," what secrets is Mrs. Alving keeping from Oswald and Regina?

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Posted by cb23 on Thursday April 17, 2008 at 6:45 AM and tagged with characters, ghosts, infidelity, mrs alving, oswald, regina, secrets.

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  1. linda-allen Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The old adage "the truth will win out" certainly applies to this play. Mrs. Alving has been keeping some dangerous secrets that cause a lot of pain when they are finally revealed.

    Both of her secrets involve her son Oswald. The first concerns his health. Captain Alving was a cruel and unfaithful husband. She left him after only one year of marriage because of his infidelities. And it is because of those infidelities that Oswald has inherited a life-threatening. We're not told explicitly that his disease is syphilis, but the symptoms indicate that is what he is suffering from.

    Like his father, Oswald himself is promiscuous. When his mother discovers him flirting with the maid, Regina, she knows she has to end their relationship. Regina is Oswald's half-sister.

    As another famous playwright said: O what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/ghosts/characters
    http://www.enotes.com/ghosts/summary

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    Posted by linda-allen on Thursday April 17, 2008 at 7:26 AM