Chapter Wise Summary Of The Canterville Ghost

Introduction

The Journal of Court & Society Review originally published The Canterville Ghost in 1887. The first segment was released on February 23, and the second one on March 2. Illustrations accompany it.

Although This Canterville Ghost was Oscar Wilde's initial work of short fiction in prose to be published, numerous tales and stories soon followed. His first collection of short stories, The Happy Prince and Various Tales was released in 1888. The Canterville Ghost did not appear in this collection, but it did in Sir Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Tales, which Wilde published in 1891. After visiting the country as a lecturer for months and polishing his insights into American culture, Wilde composed the narrative.

About The Author

On October 16, 1854, at 21 Westland Row in Dublin, Oscar Wilde was born. He was conceived by Jane Francesca and Sir William Wilde. Both of his parents were prominent thinkers from Dublin. Oscar Wilde attended homeschooling up until the age of nine. He learned their dialects at home from a French and a German governess.

Then, in County Fermanagh, he attended Portora Royal School. With a royal grant, he departed Portora for Dublin's Trinity College to study the classics. He also attended Oxford's Magdalen College to study. He wrote plays, novels, essays, poetry, and epigrams in addition to poetry. He was a talented classicist who received the Newdigate Prize for his poem, "Ravenna," in 1878. By opposing aestheticism and supporting the Aesthetic Movement, he distinguished himself.

He experimented with a variety of literary endeavors while serving as a spokesperson for aestheticism. He released a volume of poems and gave talks about the new "English Renaissance in Art" in the United States and Canada. Then he went back to London, where he worked as a journalist very hard. Wilde gained notoriety for his sharp wit, flashy attire, and glitzy discourse.

His best work, The Value of Being Earnest, was released in 1895. He was found guilty and sentenced to two years of hard work in jail. He authored De Profundis while incarcerated. He talked about how his trials had shaped his spiritual journey in this lengthy letter. After being released from prison, he travelled to France. He never went back to Britain or Ireland. His final composition, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a ballad honouring the harsh rhythms of prison life, was written there. On 30 November 1900, at the age of 46, he passed away penniless in Paris.

Theme Of The Story

'Art for art's sake' was something that the Decadents, a collection of writers and painters, took great satisfaction in. Oscar Wilde was one of them. Virginia and Sir Simon are both portrayed as creative individuals. Virginia desires to create striking and vibrant sunsets, whereas Sir Simon wants to improve the art of his spectral "performance." Virginia personifies the story's central idea of forgiveness.

Virginia needs to pray for Sir Simon's soul to atone for him to enter the "Garden of Death." Virginia ensures Sir Simon's safe journey into the afterlife by accompanying him into the ethereal realm. Even though the story is humorous throughout, the themes of love and forgiveness convey a more sombre message.

Summary Of Canterville Ghost

Chapter 1: Despite everyone telling him it was a bad idea since it was haunted, Mr Otis purchases Canterville Castle. A couple of weeks later, Mr Otis with his family moves into their new house on a beautiful July evening. The moment they walk into the path leading to Canterville Castle, the atmosphere is eerily spooky. Mrs Otis notices an unexpected red stain on the floor near the burning fireplace and asks the housekeeper, Mrs Umney, to clean it.

The elderly woman responds with a smile, "It is Lady Eleanore de Canterville's blood. She was murdered there in 1575 with her husband, Sir Simon de Canterville. After seven years, Sir Simon vanished. Although his body was never discovered, his presence is still present in the Castle. The bloodstain is now a popular tourist destination and it cannot be cleaned up.

Washington, the family's oldest son, washes it away with the aid of stain remover as he listens to this. However, shortly as the bloodstain is gone, a violent lightning flash illuminates the space and the entire structure trembles. Mrs Umney collapses to the ground. Both Mr and Mrs Otis decide how to handle a fainting domestic while she is unresponsive. Mr Otis advises taking the amount of time she spends feeling overburdened out of her pay.

When Mrs Umney awakens, she informs the Otises that a crisis is approaching. They reassure her that she shouldn't be concerned. Mrs Umney prays for her new employers before requesting a rise and leaving the room.

Chapter 2: Aside from the terrifying storm that evening, it was a quiet night. However, the stain of blood appears the following morning. Washington cleans it a second and subsequent time, but every day it comes back. even though the library was locked all night.

Mr. Otis awakens at one in the morning to a clang of metal clanging.

Mr. Otis checks what is going on by opening the door. The ghost was standing there in front of him, thick chains dangling from its wrists and ankles.

You need to grease those chains, my dear Sir, Mr Otis advises. With such a commotion continuing outside the beds, sleep is difficult. As a result, I am giving you this jar of lubricator, and if you need more, I'll be pleased to provide it to you.

The twins toss a giant pillow at him right then and there. When the ghost finally arrives in his tiny, hidden cell, he quickly flees and exhales deeply. Sir Simon mulls over what has just occurred while alone in his concealed, secret bedroom. Although his recollections of all his previous haunting triumphs have calmed and brought him back to his senses, he is still upset and enraged.

Chapter 3: The Otis household discusses Sir Simon de Canterville's ghost at breakfast the following morning. Infuriated that the ghost turned down the offer of Tammany Rising Suns Lubricant in exchange for the chains, Mr. Otis threatens to remove Sir Simon's chains if the ruckus doesn't stop.

Additionally, he explains to his little twin brothers, "The Stars & Stripes," because it was disrespectful when he threw pillows towards the ghost the previous night "taking into account the period that he had spent in the house."

The ghost stays dormant for a few days, only emerging from his hidden chamber at night to substitute the bloodstain left by Otis's eldest son on the library floor. The ghost returns on the next Sunday night, making a lot of noise and harming himself while attempting in vain to get his hands on an outfit of armor.

The twins fire pea shooters at him, and Mr Otis draws a revolver on him and orders him to raise his hands. Mrs Otis emerges from her chamber to hand him a jar of Dr Dobell's tincture, an indigestion remedy, as the ghost answers with a screech of wrath and a terrible laugh.

Sir Simon is startled when he encounters another ghost as he enters Washington's room. He looks into the situation just before daybreak and learns out the subsequent ghost is a fictitious creation of the Otis kids. He utters an old curse in his rage, causing Chanticleer the rooster to crow repeatedly and unleash lethal "deeds of blood." He hears the first crow of Chanticleer almost immediately. Sir Simon eagerly awaits the following however it does not appear.

Chapter 4: Due to his mistakes, the fake ghost, and the weird rooster's failure to crow twice, Sir Simon passes the following week in bed. deciding that, after all, the Otis family isn't deserving of his scares. He still feels compelled by tradition and propriety to carry out a few ghostly tasks, such as emerging in the window to frighten any onlookers on the "first and third Wednesdays of each month," but he has completely given up on attempting to frighten people.

Sir Simon makes sure to take off his shoes and thoroughly grease the chains before undertaking any tasks that need him to utilize them in the corridor. The twins, however, still won't let Sir Simon alone despite these safety measures. They set up several dangers that damage, bruise, and enrage the spirit.

But eventually, he gathers the group and walks over to the twins' room. Sir Simon flings through the door in an attempt to surprise them but instead finds himself splashed in a huge bowl of water?another hazard trap placed by the twins. Sir Simon again takes off as the two of them laugh at their accomplishment.

Chapter 5: A couple of weeks later, Virginia's habit was damaged when she was riding her pony, so she went home to have it repaired. To avoid being observed, she decided to ascend using the back stairway. She discovered the door to the Tapestry Chamber open as she ran by it. She was utterly shocked to realise she had seen the ghost. He was depressed and sitting near the window with his head resting on his hand.

Virginia became heartbroken and resolved to make an effort to console him. The ghost expressed amazement and said that his existence was caused by his prowling around, rattling his shackles, and groaning. Virginia, though, argued that it couldn't be the cause and that he had been evil because he had murdered his wife. The ghost responded by stating that his wife was incapable of doing any labour and could not even properly prepare food. But instead, he was starved to death by her brothers. He responded that Virginia was far nicer than any other member of her horrible, rude, dishonest, and vulgar family when she gave him a meal.

They discussed American and English lifestyles. The ghost informed Virginia that he hadn't fallen asleep for the previous three hundred years when she wanted to go to bed. She questioned him where he could find peace to sleep because she was depressed. The Garden of Death, according to the ghost. He also revealed to her an old prophecy concerning him. Virginia pledged to assist the Canterville Ghost.

Chapter 6: Panic grips the Otises when dinnertime rolls around and Virginia is unable to be found. Also furious is Cecil, the young Duke of Cheshire who is currently residing with them while he pursues Virginia.

Mr. Otis, the family patriarch, recalls having just allowed several gipsies to set up camp nearby, and he, along with Washington Otis, the oldest son, and two servants, prepares to go see if the gipsies have stolen her. Mr. Otis declines Cecil's request to go with them because he thinks there might be "a scuffle," despite the boy's pleading. The gipsies' campground had been abruptly evacuated as the party arrives there.

The young duke comes up to Mr Otis as he continues his hunt while going along Ascot Road on his horse. The young man adamantly requests to go with Mr Otis, saying, "If they had allowed us to get married a year ago, there wouldn't have taken place all this trouble." Mr Otis permits him to go along but demands that the youngster wear headgear if he wants to assist in the hunt.

At midnight, they decide to call it a night when there is a thunderous crack. Virginia comes from an opening at the very top of the stairway as ominous music begins to play. She has a little coffin in her hand and is pallid. Her appearance greatly relieves Cecil and the family.

She reveals that while she was dating Sir Simon, he left her with a box of exquisite jewels before he passed on into the hereafter. She leads everyone to the ghost's hidden chamber, wherein his skeleton is fastened to the wall and food scraps are positioned just out of its grasp. One of the sisters realises the lifeless almond tree beside the window blooms in the moonlight as she kneels near the corpse and prays. Virginia proclaims that Sir Simon has been pardoned by God.

Chapter 7: Sir Simon's remains are finally interred in the nearby cemetery four days after a spectacular funeral is held. When Lord Canterville shows up to the burial, Mr. Otis inquires as to if he wants Virginia to give back the diamonds she was given. Lord Canterville urges that Virginia keep the jewels despite Mr. Otis' explanation that he views the gems as a part of the family's past and is dissatisfied with the extravagance and wealth they symbolize.

Several years later, she weds the young Duke of Cheshire and ascends to the ranks of the English nobility. The Duke & Virginia visit Sir Simon's grave in Canterville Chase soon after getting married. Virginia has never explicitly stated what transpired during the period she was away, prompting the Duke to teasingly remark that she is hiding information from him.

Virginia claims that although she is unable to share her secret, her encounter with the ghost taught her the value of life. The Duke consents to let her retain her secret, but before the story comes to a close, he jokes that she might one day tell their kids.

Conclusion

After "The Canterville Ghost," Sir Simon's ghost was able to find salvation. Virginia's gentleness and purity assisted him in finding serenity. Sir Simon's corpse was awarded permission to be buried. The Otis & the Canterville bid the spirit farewell by granting it the opportunity to be buried.

The ghost's skeleton was interred in a nearby cemetery. The Duke was Virginia's husband. The Duke was curious regarding Virginia and the spirit's chat when they went to Sir Simon's grave. Virginia said after the story that she would keep this under wraps forever.