The Canterville Ghost Literary Elements

Short story; gothic-comic; novella.

The action takes place in Canterville Chase, an ancient manor house in the English countryside; the action is set in the late 1880s

The story is narrated by a third-person omniscient narrator.

The story is told in a comic, ironic, and sometimes sarcastic tone. However, the tone becomes more serious and sympathetic in the final section after the ghost finally admits that he is suffering.

Virginia Otis is the protagonist of the story, although she is not initially the central focus; Sir Simon, the Canterville Ghost, is the antagonist.

The major conflict exists between the ghost, who wants to maintain his traditional way of life, and the American family that wants to change, update, and improve life at Canterville Chase.

The climax happens when the ghost talks to Virginia about his feelings of sadness and pain and asks her for help.

Lord Canterville's initial warning about the presence of the ghost foreshadows that there will be problems for the Otis family after they move in. Virginia's distress about the bloodstain reappearing every day foreshadows that she is more sensitive than the rest of her family, and that she will have a closer relationship with the ghost later in the story.

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There are allusions throughout the story to traditional themes and subjects in Gothic literature, such as thunderstorms, the appearance of ghosts, suits of armor, and bloodstains. These allusions are often used by Wilde to achieve a comical effect.

See the separate section on Imagery.

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