Book Review: The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

An American family buys a haunted estate in England in the late 1800s or early 1900s. The Americans are very practical and pragmatic. They don't believe in ghosts and are perfectly ready to clean up the recurring blood spill with Pinkerton's Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent, which does indeed work wonders. But the ghost is all too real and all to ready to pull out his best roles from his five hundred years of haunting ("The Vampire Monk, or the Bloodless Benedictine" is a favorite). The young American twins are quite the terror and put the ghost back on his heels. He tries rattling his chains at night in the hall. Dad recommends a bottle of Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator to reduce the noise. The twins set up tripwires. The ghost has hardly a chance.

The story is a delightful comedy, poking fun at flat-footed American pragmatics and English stuffiness. Even so, the writing isn't harsh or cynical; there's a certain sweetness about it. The ghost did some terrible things during his life but he's long past those deeds and now does little more than fulfill his role as a ghost. The Americans also follow their roles which create the comic conflict between the two cultures and the two situations. The resolution is very satisfactory.

Highly recommended.

This story is discussed on Episode 218 of A Good Story is Hard to Find, their Halloween offering this year!