Final answer:
In Oscar Wilde's 'The Canterville Ghost,' life and death are portrayed through the character of the ghost, but love is suggested to be more potent as it aids in releasing the ghost to the afterlife. Therefore, Love transcends both concepts, displaying a quality of timeless power.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Oscar Wilde's supernatural short story, The Canterville Ghost, the themes of life, death, and love are major topics explored. Life and death are represented through the character of the ghost, Sir Simon, who, despite being dead, persists in a spectral form of life. Death is signified as finite yet persisting in various forms and manifestations. However, the story proposes that love is more powerful as demonstrated by Virginia Otis, who uses her compassion and understanding to help Sir Simon pass on to the afterlife, showing a strength and fortitude that surpasses both life and death. This suggests the notion that love transcends the barriers of life and death and holds a superior, timeless quality.
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