The Canterville Ghost Questions And Answers
Class 7 English Connection
BASED ON THE SHORT STORY BY OSCAR
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was an Anglo-Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest playwrights of the late Victorian Era. In his lifetime he wrote nine plays, one novel, and numerous poems, short stories, and essays.
1. Where did the Otis family find the blood stain? Whose blood was it? Who cleaned it?
Answer : The Otis family found the blood stain on the floor .It was the blood of Mrs Eleanore de Canterville. Washington cleaned it.
2. Who was Mrs Umney: Why did she faint?
Answer: Mrs Umney was the housekeeper, whom Mrs. Otis, at Lady Canterville's earnest request, had consented to keep in her former position. After Washington removes the blood stain a terrible flash of lightning lit up the room, a fearful peal of thunder made them all start to their feet, and that is when Mrs. Umney fainted
3. Who was Sir Simon de Canterville? Why had he become a ghost?
Answer: Sir Simon de Canterville was a fearsome ghost who had haunted Canterville Chase for more than three centuries. He murdered his wife, Lady Eleanore, in the estate's library in 1575. Nine years later her brothers exacted revenge, and Sir Simon became the Canterville ghost.
4. Why did the ghost try to scare the Otis family? Did he succeed?
Answer : The ghost was annoyed that Mrs. Otis was not frightened of him and instead behaved unpleasantly with him. So, he wanted to frighten her in a different way.
No,he did not succeed.
5. How did the twins scare the ghost?
Answer : The twins see the ghost as a figure they can torment and tease for their own amusement. They shoot at him with pea-shooters, set up wires to trip him, and frighten him by creating a fake ghost out of a sweeping brush and a hollow turnip.
6. How did Virginia help the ghost?
Answer: Virginia helps the ghost by enabling him to enter the Garden of Death . She does this by accompanying the ghost through the wall of the Tapestry Chamber and helping him to receive divine forgiveness for his earthly sins.
7. What is the theme of the play The Canterville Ghost?
Answer:
The Canterville Ghost is a study in contrast. Wilde takes an American family, and places them in a British setting. Then, through a series of mishaps, he pits one culture against the other. His stereotypical characters represent both England and the United States. He presents each of these characters as comical figures. Wilde satirises both the unrefined tastes of Americans and the determination of the British to guard their traditions. Sir Simon is not a symbol of England, as perhaps. Mrs Umney is, but rather a paragon of British culture. He stands in perfect contrast to Otises. Sir Simon misunderstands the Otises just as they misunderstand him. Wilde clearly wishes to emphasise the culture clash between England and the United States by putting them against each other. Though Wilde tells a humorous tale, but it appears that he also intends to convey a message. He uses fifteen-year-old Virginia for this purpose. Virginia says that the ghost helped her see the significance of life and death, and why love is stronger than both. ‘The Canterville Ghost’ has the theme of life and death to examine the issue of forgiveness.
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