Origin
Sir Simon de Canterville died in the 16th century, and was doomed to haunt his ancestral home, Canterville Chase, until he could find someone to weep for him (as he lacked tears of his own), to pray for him (as he lacked faith of his own), and accompany him to the Angel of Death to beg for mercy on him. For centuries he haunted the Chase, terrifying any who sought to make it their home, but eventually the American Otis family bought the house. They proved not only immune to all his attempts to frighten them, but even began playing practical jokes on the hapless spectre. Finally, however, their immunity to his attempts to scare them brought about Sir Simon's redemption, as young Virginia Otis took the time to get to know the ghost and, learning of his curse, finally freed him of it.
Creation
Sir Simon de Canterville was created by Oscar Wilde and appeared in Wilde's short story, The Canterville Ghost, which was published in February 1887 in the magazine The Court and Society Review. A popular tale, it has been reprinted many times, and adapted into both films and comics.
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