The Canterville Ghosts characters

Main characters: The ghost, Virginia and Mr. Otis

Secondary characters: Washington, Mrs. Otis, the twins, Duke of Chesire and
Lord Canterville, Mrs. Umney, gypsies an Rev Augustus Dampier. If we consider
this story as a fairy tale, we can define the characters by means of their
functions, the typical ones of the traditional stories according to the famous
categories devised by Propp and the structural literary analysis.

Characters in chapters 1 to 4

Functions:

Protagonist: Mr. Otis

Antagonist: the ghost
Object: to turn out the ghost
Protagonists helper: Washington and the twins
Antagonists helper: his supernatural powers
Characters in chapters 5 to 7

Functions:

Protagonists: the ghost

Antagonist: Mr Otis
Object: the ghost souls liberation
Protagonists helper: Virginia
Antagonists helper: his family, excluding Virginia, and the Duke of Chesire
 Descriptions of the characters

Lord Canterville belongs to a very old British family who has been the owner of
Canterville Chase for three centuries. He sold the haunted house to Hiram Otis
after warning him about the ghost.

Mr. Otis is the American Ambassador. He is a very rich man who came from a
modern country where everything can be bought with money. He bought
Canterville Chase and went there to live with his family. He doesnt care about
the ghost because he doesnt believe in it.

Mrs. Otis is Hiram Otiss wife. She had been a well-known New York beauty. She
was now a fine-looking middle-aged woman, and in many ways she looked like
an English lady.

Washington is the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Otis. He was a fair-haired, rather
good-looking young man. He was famous as an excellent dancer. He was very
sensible.

Miss Virginia was a lovely girl of fifteen, with large blue eyes. She was a good
sportswoman and loved to ride horses. Virginia was the only one that didnt
seem to share her brothers jokes to the ghost.

The Twins were two happy little boys who laughed and shouted a lot. They liked
to play tricks on people and were often punished for them.

Mrs. Umney is the housekeeper of Canterville Chase. She is an old woman

dressed in black. She greeted the Otis family when they arrived.

The Ghost: Sir Simon the Canterville, the ghost, killed his wife Lady Eleanore
the Canterville in 1575. He lived for nine years after that, and then he
disappeared very mysteriously. His body was never discovered , but his ghost
still haunts the Chase.
He has the ability to change forms so he takes the role of ghostly apparitions.
Lord Canterville pertenece a una familia britnica muy antigua que ha sido
duea de Canterville Chase durante tres siglos. Vendi la casa embrujada a
Hiram Otis despus de advertirle sobre el fantasma.

El Sr. Otis es el Embajador Americano. Es un hombre muy rico que vino de un

pas moderno donde todo se puede comprar con dinero. Compr Canterville
Chase y se fue a vivir con su familia. No le importa el fantasma porque no cree
en l.

La seora Otis es la esposa de Hiram Otis. Ella haba sido una belleza bien
conocida de Nueva York. Ahora era una hermosa mujer de mediana edad, y en
muchos aspectos pareca una dama inglesa.

Washington es el hijo mayor del Sr. y la Sra. Otis. Era un joven de pelo rubio,
bastante guapo. Era famoso como un excelente bailarn. Era muy sensato.

La seorita Virginia era una muchacha encantadora de quince aos, con

grandes ojos azules. Ella era una buena deportista y le encantaba montar
caballos. Virginia era la nica que no pareca compartir las bromas de su
hermano con el fantasma.

Los gemelos eran dos nios pequeos felices que se rean y gritaban mucho.
Les gustaba jugar trucos a la gente y a menudo eran castigados por ellos.

La Sra. Umney es la ama de llaves de Canterville Chase. Es una anciana

vestida de negro. Salud a la familia Otis cuando llegaron.

El fantasma: Sir Simon el Canterville, el fantasma, mat a su esposa Lady

Eleanore el Canterville en 1575. l vivi nueve aos despus de eso, y
entonces l desapareci misteriosamente. Su cuerpo nunca fue descubierto,
pero su fantasma todava persigue a la Caza.
l tiene la capacidad de cambiar las formas para que tome el papel de las
apariciones fantasmagricas.
Detailed Character Sketch Of Canterville Ghost
Characters

The ghost: The ghost of the castle for centuries. He was Sir Simon de
Canterville and died in 1584, his spirit still haunts the Chase. His aspect is very
terrible: He is an old man, 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.

Mr. Otis: The father of the Otis family. He is a middle-aged American minister;
he is determinated, inflexible, rational, practical and pragmatic, in conclusion a
true American. In fact at the beginning he believes that the ghost doesnt exist,
then, when he personally meets him, he is indifferent: he has more important
things to do, making money, for example.

Virginia: She is a little girl of fifteen, lithe and lovely as a fawn, and with a
fine freedom, in her large blue eyes. She is a wonderful amazon. In respect to
her family she is kind and with weling heart. The daughter is the only one in
the family who is scared by the ghost. She never speaks except to the ghost, at
the end of the story.

Washington: the Otises' oldest son; he is a fire-haired rather cood-loooking

young man; gardenias and peerage are his only weaknesses.

The twins: they are usually called The stars and stripes, they are delightful
boys and the only true republicans of the family. These children always play
tricks on the ghost and make him depressed and desperate. All along the
story, they imagine jokes and even dress up as ghosts.
Mrs Otis: The mother isn't scared of the ghost and even asks him if he wants
a remedy for his stomach. She is a very handsome middle-aged woman with
fine eyes and a superb profile. She has a magnificent constitution and a
wonderful amount of animal spirits.

Duke of Chesire: He is a handsome young scapegrace desperately in love

with the fifteen-year old Virginia Otis. However, his guardians pack him off to
Eton, and he must wait to marry. When Virginia vanishes, he insists on being
part of the search party. As soon as she reappears, he smothers her with
kisses. His devotion is rewarded, and Virginia consents to become the Duchess
of Cheshire.

Lord Canterville: A respectable descendent of the Canterville family, that was

the owner of the Canterville Chase. He is an English men of the most
pounctilious honour.

El fantasma: El fantasma del castillo durante siglos. l era sir Simon de

Canterville y muri en 1584, su alcohol todava persigue la caza. Su aspecto es
muy terrible: "Es un anciano, sus ojos eran como brasas ardientes rojas, largos
cabellos grises caan sobre sus hombros en bobinas enmaraadas, sus
vestidos, que eran de corte antiguo, estaban sucios y harapientos, y de sus
muecas Y los tobillos colgaban pesadas esposas y giros oxidados ".

Sr. Otis: El padre de la familia Otis. Es un ministro americano de mediana edad;

Se determina, inflexible, racional, prctico y pragmtico, en conclusin un
verdadero americano. De hecho al principio cree que el fantasma no existe,
entonces, cuando personalmente lo conoce, es indiferente: tiene cosas ms
importantes que hacer, hacer dinero, por ejemplo.

Virginia: "Es una nia de quince aos, esbelta y hermosa como un cervatillo, y
con una gran libertad, en sus grandes ojos azules. Ella es una amazona
maravillosa. Respecto a su familia, es amable y de buen corazn. "La hija es la
nica de la familia que est asustada por el fantasma. Ella nunca habla excepto
al fantasma, al final de la historia.

Washington: el hijo mayor de Otises; "l es un joven pelirrojo y cood-loooking

joven; Gardenias y la paridad son sus nicas debilidades ".

Los gemelos: "por lo general se llaman Las estrellas y los rayos, son
muchachos encantadores y los nicos verdaderos republicanos de la familia".
Estos nios siempre hacen trucos en el fantasma y lo hacen deprimido y
desesperado. A lo largo de la historia, se imaginan bromas e incluso se visten
como fantasmas.

Sra. Otis: La madre no tiene miedo del fantasma e incluso le pregunta si quiere
un remedio para su estmago. "Es una mujer de mediana edad muy guapa con
ojos hermosos y un perfil magnfico. Ella tiene una constitucin magnfica y una
cantidad maravillosa de espritus animales. "

Duque de Chesire: "Es un joven y guapo chivo expiatorio" desesperadamente

enamorado de la Virginia Otis de quince aos. Sin embargo, sus guardianes lo
envan a Eton, y l debe esperar para casarse. Cuando Virginia desaparece,
insiste en ser parte de la bsqueda. Tan pronto como reaparece, l la ahoga
con besos. Su devocin es recompensada, y Virginia consiente en convertirse
en la duquesa de Cheshire.

Lord Canterville: Un respetable descendiente de la familia Canterville, que era

el dueo de la Canterville Chase. -Es un hombre ingls del ms honrado honor.