"The Canterville Ghost" is Oscar Wilde's humorous novella about an American family that moves into a haunted country estate. One of Wilde's early, shorter works, the novella has gone on to become of the most beloved satires of the Gothic genre.
During the course of the story, we learn that Sir Simon de Canterville, a ghost who has haunted Canterville Chase for three centuries after murdering his wife, has managed to chase off every owner who has dared to set foot on the estate. But when the pragmatic American Otis family purchases Canterville, they refuse to be frightened by his supernatural antics.
The story satirizes both Gothic horror conventions and American materialism while exploring themes of mercy, redemption, and the clash between Old World tradition and New World practicality. It is presented here in its original and unabridged format.
