Oscar Wilde | Lecturia

Oscar Wilde: The Canterville Ghost

“The Canterville Ghost” is a short story by the Irish writer Oscar Wilde, originally published in 1887 in The Court and Society Review. It tells the story of Mr. Hiram B. Otis, an American diplomat who buys Canterville Chase, an English country house, despite warnings that it is haunted. When the Otis family moves in, they confront the specter, known as Sir Simon, without fear and with pragmatic humor, even though he has terrorized the house’s inhabitants for centuries. The encounter between the modern American family and the ancient English ghost gives rise to a series of amusing and unexpected situations.

Oscar Wilde: The Fisherman and His Soul

“The Fisherman and His Soul” is a short story by Oscar Wilde, published in 1891 in the book A House of Pomegranates. It tells the story of a young fisherman who one day catches a mermaid in his nets. Fascinated by her beauty and enchanting voice, he agrees to set her free on the condition that, whenever he calls her, she will return to sing for him. As time goes by, the fisherman falls deeply in love and becomes willing to make any sacrifice to live with her in the sea — even to give up his own soul.

Oscar Wilde: The Nightingale and The Rose

“The Nightingale and the Rose” is a short story by Oscar Wilde, published in 1888 as part of the collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales. A young student is heartbroken because he cannot find a red rose to win the girl he loves, who has promised to dance with him only if he brings her one. A nightingale, listening to his sorrow from a tree, decides to help and sets out in search of that single flower. Moved by the ideal of true love, the bird sees in the young man the embodiment of a genuine lover.

Oscar Wilde: The Happy Prince. Summary and analysis

The Happy Prince is a story by Oscar Wilde, published in 1888 in the collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales. The story begins with a majestic statue of a prince covered in gold and precious stones that stands above a city. From on high, he observes the suffering of the poorest and weeps for them. A swallow, which stops to rest at his feet before leaving for Egypt, becomes his messenger. At the Prince’s request, the Swallow brings riches to the needy, beginning a story of compassion and sacrifice that will transform both characters.

The Stories of Oscar Wilde

Discover the best stories by Oscar Wilde, master of wit and fantasy literature. Explore unforgettable tales such as The Happy Prince and The Canterville Ghost, full of beauty, irony and depth. Read his complete stories and immerse yourself in his literary universe.

Oscar Wilde: The Selfish Giant

In Oscar Wilde’s 1888 short story The Selfish Giant, a giant returns home to find that children are using his garden as a playground and drives them out, building a wall to keep them out. Without the children, the garden is plunged into a perpetual winter, deprived of life and joy. One day, a mysterious child enters the garden. The giant, seeing their sadness, is moved and decides to tear down the wall to allow the children to return and with them, spring. The story is a reflection on selfishness, kindness and the redeeming power of love and childlike innocence.