The Canterville Ghost

Oscar Wilde

Fiction | Novella | Adult | Published in 1887

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

Which character would you say is the protagonist of the story, Sir Simon’s ghost or Virginia Otis? Why?

Does the author prefer Old World or New World beliefs? Explain, using examples from the text.

Was Sir Simon haunting Canterville Chase or was he the haunted one? Provide examples from the story to support your choice.

Sir Simon murdered his wife and then was starved to death by her brothers. Which crime was crueler? Why?

What is the most important message the author wants to convey in this story? Support your answer with at least three examples from the text.

Why are the twins important characters?

Wilde provides many examples of how Hiram Otis and Lord Canterville differ. How are they the same? What do these similarities reveal about America and England/Europe at the end of the nineteenth century?

How does Hiram’s view of the gypsies change? Why does he suspect them and what does this tell you about Wilde’s views on American values and politics?

What is the significance of the blood stain for Sir Simon? For Mrs. Umney? For the Otis family?

10.

What is the significance of the suit of armor? What does it tell you about Sir Simon when he lived as opposed to 300 years later, when The Canterville Ghost takes place?