The Canterville Ghost – Analysis

Steve Santos

September 16/17

Gr 12 Lit

The Canterville Ghost – Analysis

        In the story The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, the relationship between the audience and the author is very substantial in relation to the story due to the fact that, in a way the ghost and the people that he haunts are somewhat “the author” and “the audience”. With this in mind, the Ghost, in a way, is Wilde himself and there are subliminal messages that Wilde is hiding within the text. Like in chapter 3 of the story when the Ghost is “discharged with two pellets” by “the twins” (9). This might be a message that Wilde is feeling “attacked” in a sense. Also, like how the Ghost has many different disguises, like “Martin the Maniac, or the Masked Mystery” (11), Wilde might be making this a metaphor for how he must put on a “mask” to hide from the public, due to the fact that he is homosexual. Overall, this story seems to have a lot in relation with his sexuality and how he hides it from the public eye.

        In numerous occasions, Oscar Wilde seems to be attaching stereotypes to the American and European. For example, in the beginning of the story, the Europeans seem more scared of the actual ghost than the Americans are. This is shown when Lord Canterville “fears that the ghost exists” (3). The Americans on the other hand show no fear of the stated “ghost”. This is shown when the Americans, despite the fact of being told about the ghost go on and purchase the house anyways. They “don’t mind a ghost in the house” (3). This stereotype shows that Americans can buy whatever in the world they please, so if there was a ghost that resided in the house, the Ghost would be their property along with the House.