Character sketch of all characters in Canterville Ghost.
The Ghost Of The Canterville Chase
The Ghost of the Canterville Chase was the spirit of Sir Simon de Canterville who had murdered his wife in 1584 and later on, after the disappearance of his body in mysterious circumstances, was changed into a ghost due to his guilt and haunted the castle for three centuries. He looked terribly frightful, with eyes as red as burning coals. His long cut grey hair fell over his shoulders. His garments were of antique cut and were soiled and torn. Despite Sir Simon's attempts to appear in the most gruesome guises, the Otis family refuses to be frightened, and Sir Simon feels increasingly helpless and humiliated. Sir Simon schemes, but even as his costumes become increasingly gruesome, his antics do nothing to scare his house guests, and the Otises beat him every time. The ghost reveals to Virginia the tragic tale of his wife, Lady Eleanor de Canterville. Virginia's ability to accept Sir Simon leads to his enlightenment. He believes she is full of love and love is stronger the death.
Hope this helps
The Ghost of the Canterville Chase was the spirit of Sir Simon de Canterville who had murdered his wife in 1584 and later on, after the disappearance of his body in mysterious circumstances, was changed into a ghost due to his guilt and haunted the castle for three centuries. He looked terribly frightful, with eyes as red as burning coals. His long cut grey hair fell over his shoulders. His garments were of antique cut and were soiled and torn. Despite Sir Simon's attempts to appear in the most gruesome guises, the Otis family refuses to be frightened, and Sir Simon feels increasingly helpless and humiliated. Sir Simon schemes, but even as his costumes become increasingly gruesome, his antics do nothing to scare his house guests, and the Otises beat him every time. The ghost reveals to Virginia the tragic tale of his wife, Lady Eleanor de Canterville. Virginia's ability to accept Sir Simon leads to his enlightenment. He believes she is full of love and love is stronger the death.
Hope this helps
The two main characters in Oscar Wilde's short story, The Canterville Ghost, are Virginia and Sir Simon.
Sir Simon is the ancient ghost that is haunting his ancestral home, Canterville Chase. For more than 300 years he has been successfully terrifying the occupants. Now, with the Americans moving in, he is at a loss as to how to frighten them. He died in the late 1500's when his wife's brothers starved him to death. They did this to him because he supposedly killed his wife (their sister) because she was a bad housekeeper and was plain. Before he crosses over, he gives Virginia a box of jewels.
Virginia Otis is the 15 year old daughter of the Americans that move into Canterville Chase. She is not given to the antics of her brothers and does not enjoy tormenting or trapping the ghost. She truly wants to understand. She agrees to pray for Sir Simon so that he can go to his eternal rest. She is interested in the Duke of Chesire.
The ghost: The ghost of the castle for centuries. He was Sir Simon de Canterville and died in 1584, his spirit still haunts the Chase. His aspect is very terrible: “He is an old man, his eyes were as red burning coals, long grey hair fell over his shoulders in matted coils, his garments, which were of antique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from his wrists and ankles hung heavy manacles and rusty gyves.”
Mr. Otis: The father of the Otis family. He is a middle-aged American minister; he is determinated, inflexible, rational, practical and pragmatic, in conclusion a true American. In fact at the beginning he believes that the ghost doesn’t exist, then, when he personally meets him, he is indifferent: he has more important things to do, making money, for example.
Virginia: “She is a little girl of fifteen, lithe and lovely as a fawn, and with a fine freedom, in her large blue eyes. She is a wonderful amazon. In respect to her family she is kind and with weling heart.” The daughter is the only one in the family who is scared by the ghost. She never speaks except to the ghost, at the end of the story.
Washington: the Otises' oldest son; “he is a fire-haired rather cood-loooking young man; gardenias and peerage are his only weaknesses.”
The twins: “they are usually called The stars and stripes, they are delightful boys and the only true republicans of the family.” These children always play tricks on the ghost and make him depressed and desperate. All along the story, they imagine jokes and even dress up as ghosts.
Mrs Otis: The mother isn't scared of the ghost and even asks him if he wants a remedy for his stomach. “She is a very handsome middle-aged woman with fine eyes and a superb profile. She has a magnificent constitution and a wonderful amount of animal spirits.”
Duke of Chesire: “He is a handsome young scapegrace” desperately in love with the fifteen-year old Virginia Otis. However, his guardians pack him off to Eton, and he must wait to marry. When Virginia vanishes, he insists on being part of the search party. As soon as she reappears, he smothers her with kisses. His devotion is rewarded, and Virginia consents to become the Duchess of Cheshire.
Lord Canterville: A respectable descendent of the Canterville family, that was the owner of the Canterville Chase. “He is an English men of the most pounctilious honour.”
Mrs.Umney: the old house-keeper of Canterville Chase is very terrified by the ghost and tries to warn the family.