Humorous devices

In this text we’ll speak about some humorous devices used by Oscar Wilde in “The Canterville ghost” .

 In this book Oscar Wilde trasforms a horror atmosphere in a comic story; in all the chapters the ghost undergoes humiliation and jokes from the  Otis family, make the all other horror books, where the ordinary people are scared by the supernatural beings.

The author uses also the difference between English mentality and American mentality to create some comic parts of the book: England is an ancient country, so English people beleve in traditions and legends, instead, the USA is a modern country and people are more realist so they face the strange and inusual situations differently.

For example in the second chapter, when the ghost appears for the fist time and Mr Otis talks quietly to here  ghost without getting frightened:

'My dear sir,' said Mr. Otis, 'I really must insist on your oiling those chains, and have brought you for that purpose a small bottle of the Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator. It is said to be completely efficacious upon one application, and there are several testimonials to that effect on the wrapper from some of our most eminent native divines. I shall leave it here for you by the bedroom candles, and will be happy to supply you with more should you require it.' With these words the United States Minister laid the bottle down on a marble table, and, closing his door, retired to rest.

• The reaction of Mr. Otis astonish the reader because usually, in horror stories, ghosts frighten the other character. Mr. Otis, instead, remains quiet and he considers the ghost like a normal man.

Or  in the third chapter, when Mr. Otis offers  to the ghost  a bottle of doctor Dobell’s tincture:

 “The second appearance of the ghost was on Sunday night. Shortly after they had gone to bed they were suddenly alarmed by a fearful crash in the hall. Rushing downstairs, they found that a large suit of old armour had become detached from its stand, and had fallen on the stone floor, while, seated in a high-backed chair, was the Canterville ghost, rubbing his knees with an expression of acute agony on his face. The twins, having brought their pea- shooters with them, at once discharged two pellets on him, with that accuracy of aim which can only be attained by long and careful practice on a writing-master, while the United States Minister covered him with his revolver, and called upon him, in accordance with Californian etiquette, to hold up his hands! The ghost started up with a wild shriek of rage, and swept through them like a mist, extinguishing Washington Otis's candle as he passed, and so leaving them all in total darkness. On reaching the top of the staircase he recovered himself, and determined to give his celebrated peal of demoniac laughter. This he had on more than one occasion found extremely useful. It was said to have turned Lord Raker's wig grey in a single night, and had certainly made three of Lady Canterville's French governesses give warning before their month was up. He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, till the old vaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away when a door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown. 'I am afraid you are far from well,' she said, 'and have brought you a bottle of Dr. Dobell's tincture. If it is indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy.”

• Also in this chapter Mr. Otis considers the ghost like a man and he tells him that he have an excellent remedy for indigestion. He tells it because the ghost yells, and he thinks that he has s stomachache. I think that Mr. Otis is a very strong man, because nothing can alter his mental balance.

In the fourth chapter it is the ghost to get frightened:

“It was about a quarter past two o'clock in the morning, and, as far as he could ascertain, no one was stirring. As he was strolling towards the library, however, to see if there were any traces left of the blood-stain, suddenly there leaped out on him from a dark corner two figures, who waved their arms wildly above their heads, and shrieked out 'BOO!' in his ear. Seized with a panic, which, under the circumstances, was only natural, he rushed for the staircase, but found Washington Otis waiting for him there with the big garden-syringe; and being thus hemmed in by his enemies on every side, and driven almost to bay, he vanished into the great iron stove, which, fortunately for him, was not lit, and had to make his way home through the flues and chimneys, arriving at his own room in a terrible state of dirt, disorder, and despair.”

·        In this chapter, indeed, it is the ghost to get frightened. I think that this is the most comic part of the book, because it is the first time that I see a frightened ghost!

Similar things happen also in the two following chapters, but in the last chapter the ghost becomes good and he wants to die to reach the eternal peace.

These particular devices make this book a mix of horror and comic and it has an important  moral: “He made me see what Life is, and what Death signifies, and why Love is stronger than both.', Virginia says at the end.

By Rita Guida and Pierfrancesco Incitti, Fadila and Angela