can any give me the summary of "Canterville Ghost ". whole book.
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The Canterville Ghost” is a comical story that highlights the differences in British and American cultures during the nineteenth century. Wilde uses the story to critique both cultures. More telling, given the story’s ending and that the events are closely placed within the historical context of conflicting views and several wars, the overall theme of forgiveness reads surprisingly fresh, even in today’s time. Ironically, Wilde’s story was received in his day with little fanfare. Though it began its publication serially in 1887, it would not be until Wilde’s now-famous novel The Picture of Dorian Gray was published in 1891 that Wilde would begin his long-lasting critical acclaim as a notable writer and thinker.
When the story was first published, and even later, when it was again published in a group of short stories, critics pointed out that the work was derivative, and as such, unoriginal. It would not be until much later that critics began praising Wilde for the story’s ability to draw upon various genres and writers to tell its tale. This use of material and reference points from other works actually aids in making the story so relevant and comical.
The story itself concerns Horace B. Otis, who is an American minister, and his family. The family buys Canterville Chase, which is a purportedly haunted Tudor mansion. The minister’s English friends try to warn him about the haunted mansion but, being American, he pays no heed to ghost stories, and moves the family into the mansion. The family finds a bloodstain on the carpet, and the mother, Lucretia, wants the horrible stain removed. The housekeeper, Mr. Umney, tells the family that the stain is historic, and should not be removed. The oldest child, Washington, says the stain can easily be removed with cleanser, and sets about removing it. As he does, thunder and lightning start outside, causing the housekeeper to pass out. Each successive morning, the stain reappears. And each morning, it is again removed with the cleaner.
A few nights later, the ghost appears to Mr. Otis and his two twin sons in a hallway. Though it attempts to scare them, Mr. Otis simply replies that it might use a lubricant for its creaking chains, and the twins throw pillows at the ghost’s head. The ghost retreats to its quarters, shocked at the family’s reaction. It begins to reminisce on its past victories of scaring the mansion’s inhabitants, causing them to go mad or commit suicide. It then thinks up a plan to get back at the American family for its lack of fear concerning the ghost.
While the ghost is thinking up a plan to scare the family, the family thinks about the ghost. The family laughs at the ghost, as well as the bloodstain, which is changing color from red to green. The only member of the family who does not laugh is Virginia, the fifteen-year-old daughter of Mr. Otis. When the ghost next attempts to scare the twins, they shoot pellets at it. Moreover, it tries to scare the entire family by laughing ominously, but Mr. Otis simply recommends a tincture to the ghost for indigestion.
The ghost, known as Sir Simon, who is mentioned earlier as having killed his wife (hence the bloodstain), leaves the mansion for a while due to his anger over failing to scare the American family. When Sir Simon returns, however, he himself is actually scared by the Otis twins when they make a fake ghost out of materials found around the house. The ghost finally gives up on trying to scare the family. He also uses the lubrication to help quiet his chains. As the twins continue to pick on Sir Simon, though, he plans one final scare. When he enters the twins’ room, however, a bucket of water falls onto his head and he develops a cold.
One day, Virginia is out riding with Cecil, a duke whom she has known since childhood and who likes her. She then finds the ghost’s hiding place, and berates him for trying to scare the family.
When the story was first published, and even later, when it was again published in a group of short stories, critics pointed out that the work was derivative, and as such, unoriginal. It would not be until much later that critics began praising Wilde for the story’s ability to draw upon various genres and writers to tell its tale. This use of material and reference points from other works actually aids in making the story so relevant and comical.
The story itself concerns Horace B. Otis, who is an American minister, and his family. The family buys Canterville Chase, which is a purportedly haunted Tudor mansion. The minister’s English friends try to warn him about the haunted mansion but, being American, he pays no heed to ghost stories, and moves the family into the mansion. The family finds a bloodstain on the carpet, and the mother, Lucretia, wants the horrible stain removed. The housekeeper, Mr. Umney, tells the family that the stain is historic, and should not be removed. The oldest child, Washington, says the stain can easily be removed with cleanser, and sets about removing it. As he does, thunder and lightning start outside, causing the housekeeper to pass out. Each successive morning, the stain reappears. And each morning, it is again removed with the cleaner.
A few nights later, the ghost appears to Mr. Otis and his two twin sons in a hallway. Though it attempts to scare them, Mr. Otis simply replies that it might use a lubricant for its creaking chains, and the twins throw pillows at the ghost’s head. The ghost retreats to its quarters, shocked at the family’s reaction. It begins to reminisce on its past victories of scaring the mansion’s inhabitants, causing them to go mad or commit suicide. It then thinks up a plan to get back at the American family for its lack of fear concerning the ghost.
While the ghost is thinking up a plan to scare the family, the family thinks about the ghost. The family laughs at the ghost, as well as the bloodstain, which is changing color from red to green. The only member of the family who does not laugh is Virginia, the fifteen-year-old daughter of Mr. Otis. When the ghost next attempts to scare the twins, they shoot pellets at it. Moreover, it tries to scare the entire family by laughing ominously, but Mr. Otis simply recommends a tincture to the ghost for indigestion.
The ghost, known as Sir Simon, who is mentioned earlier as having killed his wife (hence the bloodstain), leaves the mansion for a while due to his anger over failing to scare the American family. When Sir Simon returns, however, he himself is actually scared by the Otis twins when they make a fake ghost out of materials found around the house. The ghost finally gives up on trying to scare the family. He also uses the lubrication to help quiet his chains. As the twins continue to pick on Sir Simon, though, he plans one final scare. When he enters the twins’ room, however, a bucket of water falls onto his head and he develops a cold.
One day, Virginia is out riding with Cecil, a duke whom she has known since childhood and who likes her. She then finds the ghost’s hiding place, and berates him for trying to scare the family.
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Mr. Otis buys Canterville Castle despite everyone warning him about how it was a foolish idea and that it was haunted. A few weeks later, on a lovely July evening, Mr. Otis and his family, shift to their new home. When they enter the avenue of Canterville Castle, spookiness fills the air around them. Suddenly, Mrs Otis sees a red stain on the floor just by the fireplace and asks Mrs
Umney, the housekeeper to clean it. The old woman smiles and answers, ‘It is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, who was murdered on that spot by her husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575. Sir Simon disappeared seven years later. His body has never been found, but his ghost still haunts the Castle. The bloodstain is a tourist attraction now and it cannot be removed.’
Listening to this, Washington, the eldest son of the Otis family, wipes it off with the help of a stain remover. But as soon as the blood-stain disappears, a terrible flash of lightning lits up the room and the whole building shakes.
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