Novella "The Canterville Ghost" - summary

"Canterville Ghost" - a short story about the passing of England, written in true shave. She was published in a journal publication in 1887. The work can be considered as a moderate satire on the nascent bourgeoisie and sentiment according to the elusive traditions of England.

Oscar Wilde Canterville Ghost

The Canterville Ghost: Heroes of the Short Story

The work describes the events that took place in England in one of the ancient castles. In the Canterville Ghost, the characters have vivid characters. The characters are: the ghost of Sir Simon Canterville and the family of the United States Ambassador to Britain Hyrum B. Otis. Mr. Otis was married and had four children: the eldest son of Washington, the charming daughter of Virginia, and two twin students. It was with their appearance in the old castle that this whole story began.

The Canterville Ghost: Summary

The action of the novel takes place within the walls of the ancient Canterville castle, which was the family hearth of several generations of Canterville lords. According to legend, the castle is home to the cast of Lord Simon, he is the Canterville ghost. A summary of the story of the appearance of the ghost is that the lord killed his wife Eleanor and disappeared in obscure circumstances in the 15th century. Since then, Sir Simon, according to the family, has become a ghost. He did not give rest to his entire noble family, numerous relatives, guests and servants.

Ghost and his tricks

The story began that day when the family of the US ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hyrum B. Otis, acquired a family nest from de Canterville's heirs. A scrupulous lord warned the American about the existence of a ghost, but the pragmatic Esquire decided that real estate with such a tenant was a more interesting investment, and without the slightest trepidation he moved his wife and children to the castle at the end of the season.

At the first tea party, Lady Otis, the ambassador’s wife, noticed a large stained spot on the fireplace floor. The stains in the living room did not suit her, and the housekeeper, Miss Amni, was called in. The old maid accused the Canterville Ghost of constantly updating the stain. The summary of her tragic speech was reduced to the announcement of the whole gloomy history. She said that the stain was not rubbed off - the blood of Lady Eleanor spilled on this spot three centuries ago. The head of the family, not burdened with sentiments, quickly coped with the task of eliminating pollution by means of a universal stain remover.

canterville ghost summary

Alarmed by the new noisy hosts, the phantom resolutely got down to business, but everything went wrong. The stain was regularly removed by the latest means. It got to the point that it turned from red to green or yellow. Just a ghost had to steal paint from Virginia, and the red quickly ended.

Wanting to show his power and restore his former glory, Sir Simon decided to walk through the castle, mournfully howling and rattling his chains. But the ghost suffered a crushing blow - no one was afraid, and the American diplomat also offered oil to lubricate the chains, because he could not sleep from the noise. No one was afraid, and the playful twins made a real ghost hunt, which led him to despondency and anguish. Only Virginia expressed sympathy for the unlucky ghost.

Having tried all the means and roles that terrified the castle inhabitants for three hundred years, but received in response only the deafening laughter of the harmful twins, Mr. Otis' advice and potions from Mrs. Otis, Sir Simon fell ill and fell into anguish.

Good soul

Oscar Wilde "The Canterville Ghost" finishes by paying tribute to English sentimentality built on kindness and legends. The ghost from eternal wandering is saved by a kind bright girl.

Once Virginia found a ghost in the library, where, feeling completely lonely and sick, he looked out the window at the flying leaves in the garden. She spoke to him and found out that the ghost had not been sleeping for three hundred years, he was tired and wanted peace, but he could not leave until the bright soul took pity on him, at least the legend says so. The Lord asked Virginia if she could help him, despite the fact that she would be very scared. But only in her power to fulfill the prophecy written on the library window. The brave girl agreed to help the ghost leave this world, because love is stronger than death.

canterville ghost heroes

Having gone with him to the secret closet during the day, she remained there until late at night, mourning the terrible fate of Sir Canterville. The Otis family knocked down, looking for Virginia. Hyrum Otis even intended to call Scotland Yard police if his daughter wasn’t found in the morning. But it all happened, as the prophecy predicted, Sir Simon Canterville rested and left the castle. The girl miraculously appeared in the family circle at the moment when everyone was going to wander around their rooms.

Virginia, in memory of Lord Simon Canterville, was left with a jewelry box, and the ambassador was very annoyed that his English estate was just a prosaic castle without its own ghost.

This concludes the novel “The Canterville Ghost,” a summary of which may inspire reading the entire work.

Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/E9455/


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