The Canterville Ghost - Wit and Humor

Wit and Humor

Humor is the most powerful weapon used by Wilde to defuse the tension and scary atmosphere that would have resulted in such a ghost story. Phantoms, apparitions, blood stains, haunting of the ghost in the corridors are all treated with humor. The persistent blood stain is wiped with Pinkerton's stain remover, Mrs. Umney's fainting fit are to be charged like breakages, the ghost appears in a miserable state that shocks no one. Mr. Otis scolds the ghost and offers him Lubricator to oil his chains, when the ghost laughs demoniacally, Mrs. Otis accuses him of indigestion and offers him tincture. The ghost feels duty bound and says, "I must rattle my chains, groan through keyholes, walk about at night." Oscar Wilde treats even murder non-seriously. Sir Simon murdered his wife because she was not a good cook nor could do repair work. Mrs. Otis does not pretend to be stick as part of 'European Refinement', she is 'handsome'. The ghost becomes frustrated because the Otises are incapable of appreciaing the symbolic value of apparitions, blood stains, development of astral bodies and do not have any importance to his Solomon duty to haunt the castle. All the tricks played on the ghost are funny, the best being, having to encounter another ghost, which frightens the Canterville ghost.