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Abstract:

In the article the Soviet cartoon “The Canterville Ghost” (1970) is compared to its literary original. By analyzing Wilde’s statements about America, his aesthetic views and the ideas of sub-heading of the story, the conclusion is drawn about the significance for the author of the dichotomy “art vs materialism”, which “The Canterville Ghost” is based upon. The cartoon by the directors Zinaida and Valentina Brumberg, being otherwise quite artistically elaborate, reflects this idea only partly, and is concentrated mostly on the morals. The English and American types of worldview, which in a way reach peaceful co-existence by the end of Wilde’s story, stay clearly divided in the cartoon. Among other important features of the cartoon, we can indicate the lack of Christian motive (for political reasons), as well as the motive of love and wedding, and also the softening or elimination of the scary scenes and characters (as the cartoon was supposed to be watched by children).