The bloodstain on Canterville Chase’s sitting-room floor symbolizes the continued relevance of the aristocracy and, by extension, Sir Simon himself. All stains—whether they’re caused by barbecue sauce or blood—serve as a material reminder of the event that created them. In this case, the bloodstain is a reminder that Sir Simon murdered his wife. People have remembered the murder for over three hundred years, even turning the bloodstain into a tourist attraction. However, within minutes of his family’s arrival, Washington Otis manages to erase the stain and thus erase the material reminder of the event that caused it. It’s likely that, with the removal of that memento, the murder itself will also fade from memory, along with Sir Simon’s reputation as a truly violent, terrifying ghost. In addition, by erasing the stain that has marked Canterville Chase for centuries, Washington also erases the aristocracy’s relevance. Sir Simon struggles valiantly against that by renewing the stain. However, he can’t create new blood because, unlike the aristocrats he’s used to scaring, none of the Otises have killed themselves in response to his ghastly pranks. Instead, he uses paint that he steals from Virginia. However, Virginia’s stain-enabling kindness has a built-in limit to it—once she’s out of paints, the stain will disappear forever.
The Bloodstain Symbol Timeline in The Canterville Ghost
