The Canterville Ghost

“I will take the furniture and the ghost at a valuation. I come from a modern country, where we have everything that money can buy; and with all our spry young fellows painting the Old World red, and carrying off your best actors and prima-donnas, I reckon that if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe, we’d have it at home in a very short time in one of our public museums, or on the road as a show.” 

Hiram says this to Lord Canterville when he decides to bring his family to Canterville Chase. Not only does it reflect a common attitude Americans had toward Europeans and traditional ways of thinking at this time, but it also reflects how Europeans thought of Americans. Money and entertainment are both highly valued by Americans. This quote also shows that Hiram is not afraid of Old World superstitions, such as ghosts. The line, “I will take the furniture and the ghost at a valuation,” becomes important at the end of the story when Lord Canterville insists that Hiram keep the jewels gifted to his daughter, Virginia. 

“But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy.” 

Hiram says this to Lord Canterville as well, and it further confirms his position on the existence of ghosts. It’s also a commentary on the British—and by extension, European—aristocracy. Hiram is saying here that not even the power of an aristocrat can rewrite the laws of Nature. 

“Many American ladies on leaving their native land adopt an appearance of chronic ill-health, under the impression that it is a form of European refinement, but Mrs. Otis had never fallen into this error.” 

The narrator shows here how Lucretia Otis neither cares for what is considered fashionable by the upper class, nor is she delicate. In fact, she proves herself to be bold later in the story when she directly approaches the ghost. She doesn’t fall into any kind of illness until Chapter Six, when Virginia goes missing.