Suspense devices

 In this text we’ll speak about the suspense moments of the book and the suspense devices used by Oscar Wilde to attract the readers.

Oscar Wilde introduces some suspense to make this book more involving and exciting. These suspense parts serve to make this funny book also a horror book and, in conclusion, we can say that it is a comic - horror book.

In fact the suspense moments are only a few with respect to the comic elements and the humour devices used by the author in the book.

For example in the first chapter when a terrible lighting terrorizes Mrs. Umney fainted because she was terrorized.

“…a terrible flash of lightning lit up the sombre room, a fearful peal of thunder made them all start to their feet, and Mrs. Umney fainted…”

Or in the second chapter when the ghost appears for the first time and he makes a very strange noise and he wakes up all the Otis family.

“…The strange noise still continued, and with it he heard distinctly the sound of footsteps. He put on his slippers, took a small oblong phial out of his dressing-case, and opened the door. Right in front of him he saw, in the wan moonlight, an old man of terrible aspect. 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…”

In the third chapter the ghost make an inhuman yell that peals in all castle.

 “…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…”

In the fifth chapter there is a suspense part when the ghost brings Virginia in the wall, in fact she trust in the ghost even if she don’t know where he wants to take her, so the reader waits for the destiny of the girl.

“...the Ghost clutched her hand more tightly, and she shut her eyes against them. Horrible animals with lizard tails, and goggle eyes, blinked at her from the carven chimney-piece, and murmured 'Beware! little Virginia, beware! we may never see you again,' but the Ghost glided on more swiftly, and Virginia did not listen. When they reached the end of the room he stopped, and muttered some words she could not understand. She opened her eyes, and saw the wall slowly fading away like a mist, and a great black cavern in front of her. A bitter cold wind swept round them, and she felt something pulling at her dress. 'Quick, quick,' cried the Ghost, 'or it will be too late,' and, in a moment, the wainscoting had closed behind them, and the Tapestry Chamber was empty…”.

By Rita Guida and Pierfrancesco Incitti