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The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

View of an old manor's hall with a spiral staircase and large stained-glass windows, marble-like mosaic floor, and blue-white spectral smoke rising up the stairs.
In

A whimsical tale of culture clash against the backcloth of an old curse and platonic love.

The Canterville Ghost is one of Oscar Wilde’s charming short stories, first published in 1887, playfully exploring the cultural differences between the Old and New World.

The narrative unfolds at Canterville Chase, an ancient estate haunted for centuries by Sir Simon, a ghost with a rather unfortunate reputation. However, it is the ghost who endures the real hardships when the American Otis family buys the mansion.

This was the first of Wilde’s stories to be published in the British literary magazine The Court and Society Review, where it was divided into two parts. The story has since been adapted for theatre and film many times.

Cover of The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, 2024 edition, independently published.
The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde 2024 Independently published

“The owl beat against the window panes, the raven croaked from the old yew-tree, and the wind wandered moaning round the house like a lost soul; but the Otis family slept unconscious of their doom, and high above the rain and storm he could hear the steady snoring of the Minister for the United States.” —The Canterville Ghost

Wilde is well known for his barbed wit (see the previous post) that reflects the Canterville Ghost as well. The story serves as a satire of British aristocracy and American pragmatism—two cultures Wilde experienced first-hand during his life and lectures.

Attentive readers can find plenty of subtle jabs throughout the text, from the nickname “The Stars and Stripes” given to the Otis boys to the complaint about the difficulty of obtaining hominy, even in the best English households. Wilde’s humour is evident in situational irony, such as when the ghost, attempting to scare the Otises, is asked by the head of the family to oil his rattling chains, or in Virginia’s eventual marriage to an English gentleman.

True to his poetic soul, Wilde lays emphasis on the dramatic scenes, creating vivid atmosphere through rich detail and a theatrical approach.

First edition cover of The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, 1906, featuring a golden silhouette of a figure with flowing hair against a dark grey background and a full white moon.
The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde 1906 John W

“On its breast was a placard with strange writing in antique characters, some scroll of shame it seemed, some record of wild sins, some awful calendar of crime, and, with its right hand, it bore aloft a falchion of gleaming steel.” —The Canterville Ghost

In conclusion, The Canterville Ghost is a thought-provoking read, creating humour without resorting to vulgarities. Although Wilde does not offer a particularly strong female character by modern standards, Virginia remains the key to Sir Simon’s redemption, holding the light of hope for the ghost’s peace.

I first encountered this story as a schoolchild, after having already read The Picture of Dorian Gray. At the time, I was disappointed by the Czech translation because it didn’t seem to match Wilde’s other works in style. Naively, I thought it might have been a misstep on Wilde’s part. However, I later realised the issue lay with the translation—the original English is as beautiful as any of Wilde’s writing.

Cover of the Czech translation of The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, 1996, published by Albatros Media.
The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde 1996 Albatros (ČR)

What’s your opinion on Wilde’s work? Do you find it imbued with immense beauty, or do you feel it is burdened by outdated language? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to our next literary journey together!

Yours Truly,

Nathaniel Wonderful

Illumine the world

Author

nathanielwonderful@gmail.com

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