The Canterville Ghost

In "The Canterville Ghost," love and death are intertwined themes. The ghost, Sir Simon, has been haunting for 300 years as punishment for a murder and longs for the peace of death. Virginia, a...

The "Garden of Death" in "The Canterville Ghost" is described as a peaceful, eternal resting place located beyond the pine woods. It features long grasses, the nightingale's song, and a protective...

In The Canterville Ghost, the ghost describes the Garden of Death as a serene yet death-filled place with long grass, hemlock flowers, a nightingale singing under the cold moon, and yew trees. The...

The ending of "The Canterville Ghost" sees the ghost finally finding peace after Virginia Otis prays for him. Her act of compassion allows him to rest in eternal peace, and he is buried with dignity....

The Canterville Ghost appears in various forms, each designed to terrify the Otis family. He first appears as a gaunt, eerie figure in rusted chains. Later, he takes on the guise of a headless...

Virginia Otis is a compassionate and brave young girl who plays a crucial role in the redemption of the ghost. The ghost, Sir Simon, is initially portrayed as a menacing and vengeful spirit but is...

In "The Canterville Ghost," the bloodstain symbolizes the unresolved murder of Lady Eleanor by Sir Simon. Its appearance and reappearance unsettle the Otis family, highlighting the ghost's presence...

The phrase "with all our spry young fellows painting the Old World red, and carrying off your best actors and prima-donnas" in The Canterville Ghost means that young Americans are lively and...

The Canterville Ghost teaches that genuine understanding can lead to significant change and that rational thinking has its rewards. Virginia Otis empathizes with the ghost and helps him find peace,...

The Canterville Ghost, otherwise known as Sir Simon, planned to take his revenge on the Otis family is the standard ghostly fashion.  He plans to scare them out of his house.  Many, many...

The ghost in "The Canterville Ghost" did murder his wife because she was not a good cook. Although this reason seems comical, Wilde does not trivialize the murder. The ghost pays a severe price:...

In "The Canterville Ghost," the encounter between the two ghosts is described with a mix of horror and humor. The Canterville ghost is initially terrified by the sight of a motionless, monstrous...

The twins' actions made the "Headless Earl" ghost flee because they set a practical joke that caused a jug of water to fall on him when he dramatically opened the door. The ghost, proud of his...

As an honest man, Lord Canterville feels that it is his duty to inform the Otis family that the Canterville house is haunted by a ghost.  As an aside, I figure a really honest man would have...

I do not think that it is the changing color of the blood stain that begins to change the Otis family's belief in the ghost.  I believe it is simply the blood stain itself that causes a change...

The ghost's initial attempt to frighten the Otis family is a disaster. Instead of being scared, Mr. Otis instead advises him to oil his clunky, rusty chains and manacles. He gives the ghost some...

In "The Canterville Ghost," American culture is portrayed as pragmatic, modern, and dismissive of superstitions, while British culture is depicted as traditional, historical, and steeped in the...

I believe that the question is asking why this story is called "The Canterville Ghost" instead of having some other title. I understand the question, and it is a good question because the title of...

In "The Canterville Ghost," Virginia helps the ghost find peace by showing him compassion and understanding. She listens to his woes, prays for his forgiveness, and accompanies him to the Garden of...

This quote appears in Chapter Two of "The Canterville Ghost," after the ghost has attempted to frighten the Otis family for the first time by rattling his chains along the corridor. The response to...

Mrs. Umney explains that the bloodstain in "The Canterville Ghost" is a permanent mark left by Lady Eleanor de Canterville, who was murdered by her husband, Sir Simon. Despite Mrs. Umney's warning...

In Chapter Two of "The Canterville Ghost," Mr Otis is disturbed by the sound of the ghost rattling his chains in the early hours of the morning. In response, Mr Otis offers the ghost some oil...

On one level, "The Canterville Ghost" is a parody of the traditional ghost story. It makes fun of ghosts as frightening creatures by showing an American family, the Otises, completely unimpressed...

In The Canterville Ghost, Mr. Otis is a practical man who, rather than fearing the ghost, gives him a bottle of lubricant to oil his chains and pulls a revolver on him. When Virginia disappears, Mr....

In "The Canterville Ghost," Mr Otis is eager to buy the house because he does not believe in the existence of ghosts, despite the warnings he receives at the time of purchase. He makes this belief...

The twins in "The Canterville Ghost" are depicted as mischievous and playful. They are known for their pranks and relentless efforts to scare the ghost, which contrasts with the ghost's attempts to...

From their arrival at Canterville Chase, the Otis family are reluctant to talk about the ghost. In short, they do not believe in the supernatural because they are advocates of science and reason,...

Both Shakespeare and Wilde understand reality as moral, with the existence of an afterlife in which individuals pay for their sins. Both depict being a ghost, unable to go to one's final rest, as...

At the beginning of "The Canterville Ghost," Lord Canterville sells his ancestral home, Canterville Chase, to an American, Mr Hiram B Otis, and his family. Mr Otis is an American ambassador and his...

I would agree that the Otis family's terrorizing of Sir Simon's ghost is a very interesting part of the story.  It's just so completely unexpected.  That is especially true when I...

In the story, the Canterville Ghost gave Virginia a box of jewels before he died. Upon Virginia's return to her family, she presented her father, Mr. Otis, with the box of jewels. Later, however,...

In "The Canterville Ghost," Virginia encounters Sir Simon, the ghost, and learns about his past life and his remorse for his actions. Sir Simon was cursed to haunt Canterville Chase as punishment for...

Lord Canterville warns Mr. Otis about the Canterville ghost in a very blunt and straightforward manner.  Lord Canterville flat out tells Mr. Otis that there is a ghost in the house.  ...

When the story first begins, Lord Canterville tells Mr. Otis about the presence of Sir Simon's ghost. Mr. Otis flatly denies the possibility as a stereotypical, overly confident American. Mr. Otis...

The main conflict in The Canterville Ghost is the conflict between Sir Simon, a ghost and the Otis family. The Otis family continually outsmarts Sir Simon and forces him to retreat.

Mrs. Umney is unfazed by the Canterville ghost and the haunting of Canterville Chase. As the housekeeper, she accepts the ghost's presence as a part of the estate's history and seems more concerned...

Mr. Otis, an American ambassador, purchases Canterville Castle, even though everyone tells him that it is haunted. His reasoning is that the United States has everything that money can buy, and if...

In Chapter 3 of "The Canterville Ghost," the ghost decides to wear a suit of armour and there are a number of reasons behind this choice.  First of all, to put this scene into context, the...

No, Virginia was not really lost. She allowed the ghost to take her to  "a great black cavern" so she could weep and pray for the angel of mercy to allow the ghost to die. The ghost had...

The Canterville Ghost has a very rigid set of duties in the story. While we do not know the origin of these duties, they consist of a number of activities. First of all, the ghost is obliged to...

The significance of Virginia and the jewel casket in "The Canterville Ghost" lies in their symbolic value. Virginia represents purity and compassion, which ultimately lead to the ghost's redemption....

In Chapter Six, when Virginia does not come down for tea, Mrs. Otis isn't initially concerned. She thinks that her daughter is in the garden, gathering flowers for the dinner-table. However, when...

In "The Canterville Ghost," Wilde reverses many situations into their opposites. One example of this can be found in Chapter Four when the Canterville Ghost plans to scare the Duke of Cheshire by...

A chase is a hunting or game preserve. Canterville Hall or Canterville Chase is called a chase because it was once, and probably still is, a place where upper-class people would gather to hunt. It...

The drive from the railway station in Ascot to Canterville Chase is initially uneventful and peaceful. Members of the Otis family are able to delight in happy pastoral scenes that correspond with...

Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost is a novella about an American family, the Otises, who move into a haunted English mansion. The ghost, Sir Simon, has failed to scare them, leading to humorous...

In the opening chapter of "The Canterville Ghost," we find Lord Canterville concluding the sale of his house, Canterville Chase, to Mr. Hiram B. Otis, an American ambassador. Sir Simon cites a...

The most basic attitude difference between Mr. Otis and Lord Canterville is their attitude toward the ghost.   The attitude difference starts out as a difference in belief.  Lord...

The ghost's first experience of humiliation in "The Canterville Ghost" occurs when the Otis family is unfazed by his attempts to scare them. This indifference, especially when Mr. Otis offers him...

The first indication that the castle is haunted comes when Mrs. Otis notices a red spot on the floor. The housekeeper tells her that it's a bloodstain from when Lady Eleanor de Canterville was...