The Canterville Ghost
Oscar Wilde
- English
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The Canterville Ghost
Oscar Wilde
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Paperback with 46 Pages of Additional Content (Summaries, Critical Notes, Glossary, Exercises, and more) The Canterville Ghost of the Ratna Sagar Classics Series is an enriched edition that any keen reader of literature will be pleased to have. The book includes: a. Brief, well-written Introduction to the novella b. Annotations that are comprehensive, covering not only the meanings of words and phrases peculiar to the period in which the book was written, but explaining any concept or historical event that may not be easily understood or recalled c. Summary at the end of each chapter that is concise yet sufficiently detailed to provide a faithful reproduction of that part of the story d. Critical notes at the end of each chapter that present an analysis of the chapter so that the reader can identify the nuances, allusions, and underlying meanings, and therefore appreciate the story better e. General notes at the end of the book that present an overview of the book, contexting it in the period in which it was written, and discuss the major themes, characters, or the genre of the book f. Artwork that bring to life certain episodes in the story Suggestions for further reading and website links that the reader will find informative and helpful The Canterville Ghost was Oscar Wilde's first published story, and it premiered in the magazine The Court and Society Review (February, 1887). Later, it was published in a collection of short stories titled Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories (1891). Set in late the 19th century, it tells about an American family's encounter with the ghost of an English nobleman. The setting is an old English country house, Canterville Chase. It has all the trappings of a traditional haunted house, but the family that comes to live there belongs to a practical, modern way of life. This sets the stage for the novella. A contrast is shown between traditional English society, which has its roots in a nearly two thousand-year-old history and modern, practical American society, which belongs a nation discovered only in the 17th century. The seller of Canterville Chase, Lord Canterville, and the buyer, Mr Otis, represent these two cultures, respectively. The ghost of Sir Simon, a family ancestor, tries his best to scare the Otis family with the most gruesome appearances. However, the realistic American family refuses to get scared, and Sir Simon ends up only with comic failures. The Canterville Ghost is the kind of story one would write if one wanted to make fun of hair-raising ghost stories. Yet, there are moments of pure sentiment that do not seem misplaced in the narrative. Wilde's mastery over sentiment and comedy alike makes this book a perennial favourite. Not surprisingly, the novella has been widely adapted for the screen, theatre, and graphic medium.