The CantervilleGhost

Being scary isn’t what it used to be….. Oscar wilde

G.L.T Saraswati Bal

MandirName:Mayank SoniClass:XI ESubject:English

About Writer.....

Oscar wilde was born on October 16,1854 in Dublin Irishwriter Oscar WildeIs best known for the play. The impo-rtance of being Earnest , as well asFor his infamous arrest and imprison-ment for being Gay.

When Writer born

About Story.“The Canterville Ghost” is a to Short story by Oscar Wilde, is Adapted for the screen and for Stage. It was first of Wilde’s Stories to be published. The story is about a family Who moves to a castle haunted

By the ghost of a dead nobleman,Who killed his wife and was theStarved to death by his wife’s ofBrothers.

Features of horror houseThe home on the Canterville GhostWas the ancient Canterville Chase,Which has all the accoutrements,of a traditional haunted house.Descriptions of the wainscoting,The library paneled in black oak, and the armor in the hallway,,,,,,,

characterize the Gothic setting.Wilde mixes the macabre with Comedy, juxtaposing devices.from traditional English ghost stories such as creaking with floorboards, clanking chains, andAncient prophecies with symbols Of contemporary American of Consumerism.

. Purchasing Canterville Chase As the story opens, Horace B. Otis

, the brusque American minister,Ignores the warnings of several english friends & buys the hauntedCanterville chase. Lord Cantervilledesires to sell the Home but feels

Honor-bound to tell Otis stories ofSkeleton hands and mysterious ofnoises. However, Otis refuses toBelieve in the existence of ghost.

. The President Blood StainThe Otis family was moves into the Chase, a Tudor mansion. Mrs. Lucretia Otis, distributed by a blood stain in the sitting inRoom orders that it be removedat once. But the housekeeper, Mrs. Umney, explain that all the

Blood stain dates back to 1575, theDay Lady Eleanor de CantervilleWas murdered by her husband,Sir Simon, and cannot be removedWashington Otis, the oldest son, Quickly declares that Pinkerton’sChampion stain remover and theParagon Detergent will prove amatch for even so historic a stain

Thunder and lightning greet hisSuccess, and Mrs. Umney faintsIn fear. The stain, however, the Following morning, and again isApplied. But each successive hisMorning brings a new stain, andThe Otis begin to believe thatThe chase really is haunted.

. The Ghost AppearsSeveral nights later, Mr. Otis wasAwakes to the sound of clankingMetal. In the hallway, he encountrA ghost with burning-red mattedHair, and heavy chains. As the aPractical American, Mr. Otis toSuggests to the Ghost that are the

Tammany rising sun lubricator theWill quiet his chains. The ghost,Stunned by this effrontery, is theFurther installed as the young otisTwin boys throw pillows at his Head. The ghost retires to his theChamber and ponder with his pastGlories of terrifying housemaidsAnd the driving members of the

Aristocracy to madness and theSuicide. Refusing to be intimidatedBy upstart Americans, the ghostPlans his revenge. Meanwhile, theOtis discuss the ghost and note the changing hues of the sitting inRoom bloodstain. Only the beautifulFifteen years old Virgina Otis canNot laugh as the stain mutates the

From red, to purple, to bright theEmerald green. When the ghost Next appears, the twins shoot thePellets at it. But more insulting isthat after the ghost tries to scareThe family with a hideous laugh,Mrs. Otis offers him dr. Dobell’sTincture to cure his indigestion.

Sickened by the experience, sir isSimon retreats for a few days Before making another attempts To horrify the Otises. However,When the ghost next appears, it isHe who is frightened. The twins Create a fake ghost out of a holl--ow turnip, bed curtain, kitchenCleaver, and broom. Their trick

Succeeds, and Sir Simon, humiliateGive up on his bloodstain and beginTo use Mr. otis Rising sun on hisLubricator. The twins continue to Torment the Ghost, settings traps Along the corridor to trip him. The Ghost in one final effort, prepareAn elaborate costume, ”recklessRupert, or the headless earl” to

Revenge himself on the twins. TheWhen he tries to enter the twinsBedroom a jug of water crashes Down on him, leaving Sir SimonWith a severe cold and no hope Of scaring the Otises.

Virgina Lost and FoundVirgina’s family and the duke forSearch for her. At last stroke ofMidnight, the house shakes, and Virgina’s appears at the top of theStairs. She explain that she has Been with the ghost and has theyBrought him eternal rest. The Sir

In turn has given her a box of theJewels. Virgina leads her family Into a secret room where they aFind the skeletal remains of Sir.simon. Four days later, Virgina areMarries the young Duke, who wasStruck by her kindness to for theGhost. Even after marriage, to theHowever, resist her her husband

Entreaties and refuse to revel toWhat happened when she disapperInto the wall with Sir. Simon. ButShe states simply that the Ghost Taught her the meaning of Life,

Death, and love.

_By Oscar Wilde