Oscar Wilde by ANNABELLA ANGRISANI https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7 witty and smart en-us 2023-03-27 21:07:08 UTC 2023-03-27 21:42:19 UTC hello@padlet.com annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533805068 2023-03-27 21:09:36 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533805068 Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533810034 2023-03-27 21:11:40 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533810034 He was educated first at Portora royal School, and then at Trinity College, where he first revealed his unconventional personality. He was not very popular, he read a lot and his love for the classics eventually won him a Gold Medal for Greek annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533816054 2023-03-27 21:14:05 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533816054 He won a scholarship to Madgalen College and Oxford, where he entered in 1874. Here he spent four happy years, soon establishing a reputation as an anticonformist, a wonderful entertainer and a brilliant talker. When he left Oxford in 1878, he was already known as a poet, since,in the same year, he had won the Newdigate Prize for poetry annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533819375 2023-03-27 21:15:30 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533819375 Wilde settled in London where, in order to shock the bourgeoisie and draw attention to himself, he began to dress in gorgeous and eccentric way. This exhibitionism earned him frequent caricatures but also frequent invitations from London society charmed by his wit and brilliant conversation annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533822032 2023-03-27 21:16:38 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533822032 In spite of the violent reaction aroused by his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray(1891), his literary prestige increased thanks to the success of his so-called “society plays” (Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Ernest), which brought him wealth and fame from 1892 to 1895. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533825727 2023-03-27 21:18:13 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533825727 In March 1895 Wilde sued the Marquis of Queensberry, who had accused him of ahomosexual relationship with his son. Unfortunately the accusations were proven,and he was arrested and sentenced to two years’ hard labour. In prison he sufferedevery sort of humiliation and when finally released, Wilde was a broken man. Hespent some time in Europe writing against the brutality of prison life. Then hesettled in Paris where, forgotten by almost everyone, he died on November 1900from an attack of meningitis. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533835104 2023-03-27 21:22:30 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533835104 Ghost stories belong to the genre called horror literature, whose purpose is to scare the reader with situations that cause horror or fear. The most common technique is suspense, the slow insinuating of a doubt or of a frightening revelation, which keeps the reader interested. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533839782 2023-03-27 21:24:36 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533839782 This story can be defined an inverted ghost story, because a lot of elements are different from the traditional ones. The most evident difference is the fact that Mr.Otis is not scared by the ghost, while usually people should be. Moreover, the ghost himself is frightened by the Otis twins. Wilde tends to reverse situations into their opposites as the Otis family succeed in terrorising the ghost rather than be terrorised by him. Furthermore, this ghost story is told not from the perspective of the Chase inhabitants, as in traditional tales, but from the perspective of the ghost,Sir Simon. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533843047 2023-03-27 21:26:06 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533843047 There is also comic relief, as buckets of water balanced on half-open doors, the prat fall of Sir Simon and the fake ghost. But the story has a dark centre. The crime and retribution which led to Sir Simon’s guilty spirit haunting Canterville Chase. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533845716 2023-03-27 21:27:25 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533845716 “The Canterville Ghost” is a study in contrasts. Wilde talks about an American family who decides to live in Great Britain. In this way, the author has two different culture in comparison and he puts one against the other. The contradiction between cultures of the New World and the Old World runs through the story. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533850255 2023-03-27 21:29:32 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533850255 He creates stereotypical characters that represent both England and the United States, and he presents each of these characters as comical figures, satirizing both the unrefined tastes of Americans and the determination of the British to guard their traditions.The ghost doesn’t understand the family and his “rude” manner just as they don’t understand him and his duties. While the ghost of Sir Simon has been successfully scaring English aristocracy for years, he is unable to frighten the Otis family. Sir Simon expresses his frustration by declaring the Otis family “wretched modern Americans.” Far from being scared by Sir Simon, the American family see the ghost as a problem to be solved, they are pragmatic people. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533856900 2023-03-27 21:32:39 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533856900 By pitting the two stereotypes against each other, Wilde clearly emphasizes the culture clash between England and the United States. The humor in the story is gentle, not sarcastic. The author is mocking stereotypes, both British (this role plays by the housekeeper) and American (political fancy of the minister, addition to use widely advertised American products) in kind and soft manner, not to offend anybody. Wilde obviously intends to satirize American materialism, but he pokes funat English traditional culture as well. But still this conflict of spiritual values and consumerism remains one of the main themes of the story. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533859325 2023-03-27 21:33:50 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533859325 This is really not a comedy at all, but a tale of redemption through the power of love. The innocent girl of the family, appropriately called Virginia, prays for the ghost and endures terrifying if unnamed experiences to release the ghost. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533863655 2023-03-27 21:35:46 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533863655 During the story we are so busy with laughing at the poor ghost that we don’t seewhat is hidden deeper in his soul. He is not scary at all, but he is easy to scare.Sometimes we may feel pity for him, but we don’t notice how miserable he is. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533864660 2023-03-27 21:36:10 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533864660 Virginia, thanks to her pure soul, sees that and she wants to help him. She tries to explain the ghost that he shouldn’t have killed his wife and when the ghost opens his soul and tells her everything, she wants to do her best to give him the peace he’s searching for and to free his soul. And she did it. She prays and cries for his sins and he is able to go to the Garden of Death, where he is finally free, and all his sufferings are over. He found the peace and rest. And Virginia, who has a kind heart and mercy, is happy for him. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533866199 2023-03-27 21:36:53 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533866199 Virginia embodies the narratives theme of forgiveness. Virginia accompanies Sir Simon into the otherworldly realm in order to ensure his safe passage into the afterlife. While the narrative is full of comedy, the tone of forgiveness and love creates a more serious message. Besides the humorous tale, it appears that Wilde also has a message, and he uses fifteen-year-old Virginia to communicate it. Virginia says that the ghost helped her see the significance of life and death. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533868007 2023-03-27 21:37:42 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533868007 Life and death are two other important themes in the story. The ghost says “Death must be so beautiful”, for him death is not the end but it is the beginning of something more than life, it is a desirable peace and calm, it is stronger than life. But there is one more thing that is even stronger than both. It is love. It has the greatest power in the world and if you have love in your heart, you would be happy and would make happy every person around you, like Virginia did. annabellaangrisani https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533873593 2023-03-27 21:40:19 UTC https://padlet.com/annabellaangrisani/ttz2umh6m82r37y7/wish/2533873593