Character guide

Lord Arthur Savile

major

Also known as Arthur

A young nobleman who learns from a chiromantist that he is destined to commit murder.

Sybil Merton

supporting

Also known as Miss Sybil Merton

Lord Arthur's fiancée, a sweet and devoted young woman.

Mr. Septimus R. Podgers

supporting

Also known as Mr. Podgers, Septimus Podgers

A professional chiromantist who reads Lord Arthur's palm.

Lady Clementina Beauchamp

supporting

Also known as Lady Clem

Lord Arthur's elderly aunt, a kind-hearted but eccentric woman.

Herr Winckelkopf

minor

A German anarchist who supplies explosives to Lord Arthur.

The Canterville Ghost

major

Also known as Sir Simon de Canterville, the Ghost

A centuries-old ghost haunting Canterville Chase, weary of his existence.

Virginia E. Otis

major

Also known as little Virginia, Miss Virginia

The kind-hearted daughter of the American minister who helps the ghost.

Mr. Hiram B. Otis

supporting

Also known as Mr. Otis, Hiram

The practical American minister who buys Canterville Chase.

Mrs. Otis

supporting

The wife of the American minister, a sensible and modern woman.

Washington Otis

minor

Also known as luckless Washington

The eldest Otis son, who tries to remove the bloodstain with cleaner.

The Duke of Cheshire

supporting

Also known as the little Duke of Cheshire

A young duke who is in love with Virginia Otis.

Lord Canterville

minor

Also known as the present Lord Canterville

The English nobleman who sells Canterville Chase to the Otis family.

Mrs. Umney

minor

The housekeeper at Canterville Chase, who believes in the ghost.

Lady Alroy

major

A mysterious woman who leads a double life in London society.

Lord Murchison

supporting

Also known as Murchison

A young lord who becomes obsessed with Lady Alroy's secret.

Hughie Erskine

major

Also known as Poor Hughie

A charming but poor young man in love with Laura Merton.

Alan Trevor

supporting

Also known as Trevor

A successful painter and friend of Hughie Erskine.

Baron Hausberg

supporting

Also known as Hausberg, le Baron Hausberg

A wealthy baron who poses as a beggar for a painting.

Laura Merton

minor

The woman Hughie Erskine loves, daughter of a retired colonel.

Mr. Merton

minor

Also known as V Mr. Merton

Laura's father, a retired colonel who disapproves of Hughie's poverty.

Cyril Graham

major

Also known as Poor Cyril, Mr. Cyril Graham

A young man obsessed with proving the identity of Mr. W. H.

Erskine

supporting

Also known as Hugh Erskine

A friend of Cyril Graham who inherits his theory about Shakespeare's sonnets.

Mr. W. H.

supporting

Also known as Willie Hughes, Will Hews, Will

The mysterious dedicatee of Shakespeare's sonnets, a boy actor.

Lady Windermere

minor

Also known as Dear Lady Windermere

A society hostess who appears in the frame story of the portrait.

Lady Erskine

minor

Erskine's mother, a society woman who hosts gatherings.

Lord Southampton

minor

Also known as Southampton

A historical figure mentioned in the theory about Shakespeare's sonnets.

Lady Clementina Beauchamp

minor

Also known as Lady Clem

Lord Arthur's elderly aunt who dies under mysterious circumstances.

Edward Merton

minor

Also known as Merton

Sybil Merton's brother, a practical man of business.

Lord Crediton

minor

Also known as old Lord Crediton

An elderly nobleman who appears at Lady Clementina's party.

Lady Julia

minor

A society woman mentioned in passing at social events.

Lady Flora

minor

A minor society figure at Lady Clementina's gatherings.

Count Rouvaloff

minor

Also known as Rouvaloff

A Russian anarchist who introduces Lord Arthur to Herr Winckelkopf.

Lady Stutfield

minor

A society woman who appears at Lady Windermere's party.

Lady Fermor

minor

A minor character mentioned in the social circle.

Lady Barbara Modish

minor

Also known as pretty Lady Barbara Modish

A pretty society woman mentioned in passing.

Lord Surbiton

minor

Also known as Surbiton

A young lord who appears at social functions.

Lord Buckhurst

minor

A minor nobleman mentioned in the narrative.

Lady Jedburgh

minor

A society woman who appears at Lady Clementina's.

Lady Startup

minor

Also known as old Lady Startup

An elderly society woman mentioned in passing.

Lady Eleanore de Canterville

minor

Also known as Lady Canterville

The wife of the wicked Lord Canterville, mentioned in the ghost's backstory.

Sir Thomas

minor

A minor character mentioned in the social circle.

Cecil

minor

Also known as Dear Cecil

A friend or relative mentioned in correspondence.

Uncle Cecil

minor

Also known as Cecil

An uncle of one of the characters, mentioned briefly.

Gerald

minor

A minor character mentioned in the narrative.

Gladys

minor

Also known as Dear Gladys

A young woman mentioned in the social circle.

George

minor

A minor character mentioned in passing.

Papa

minor

A father figure mentioned by a character in dialogue.

The Doctor

minor

A physician who attends to Lady Clementina in her final illness.

François Clouet

minor

Also known as François, Clouet

A historical painter mentioned in the portrait theory.

Chapman

minor

A historical figure mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Meres

minor

A historical critic mentioned in the sonnet discussion.

Lord Pembroke

minor

Also known as Pembroke

A historical figure mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Earl of Pembroke

minor

Also known as Pembroke

Another historical Pembroke mentioned in the sonnet debate.

Lord Essex

minor

A historical figure mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Marlowe

minor

The playwright Christopher Marlowe, mentioned in the sonnet theory.

William Shakespeare

supporting

Also known as Shakespeare, Mr. William Shakespeare

The playwright, central to the theory about the sonnets.

Romeo

minor

A Shakespearean character referenced in the sonnet discussion.

Juliet

minor

A Shakespearean character referenced in the sonnet discussion.

Rosalind

minor

A Shakespearean character referenced in the sonnet theory.

Cleopatra

minor

A historical figure mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Madame de Tremouillac

minor

A French noblewoman mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Prince Rupert

minor

A historical prince mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Margaret Hews

minor

Also known as the lovely Margaret Hews

A historical figure mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Longfellow

minor

Also known as their national poet Longfellow

The American poet, mentioned in the Canterville Ghost story.

St. Thomas

minor

A saint mentioned in the narrative.

Tragedy

minor

A personified concept mentioned in the sonnet theory.

Muse

minor

A personified concept mentioned in the sonnet theory.