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Abstract: The article analyzes O. Wilde’s story The Canterville Ghost in the context of using the genre of the “Gothic” story to embody the writer’s philosophical views. The article studies the causes of Wilde’s appeal to the “Gothic” story, its interpretation by foreign and Russian researchers. The purpose of the article is to prove the synthesis of art and philosophy in the story. The multi-layers of the writer’s works reflect his understanding of the multi-layered nature of the world, and Wilde’s text combines reflections on topical social, moral and philosophical problems with an individual author’s vision of reality. In The Canterville Ghost Wilde begins to comprehend the „American theme“, which highlights the problems of interaction between civilizations, the victory of rationality over spirituality and the tragedy behind it. Wilde’s negative attitude towards materialism, practicality of modern times is also manifested in depicting false messages based on logic. In the image of the Canterville Ghost, there are features that are evident in dandy heroes of Wilde’s dramatic texts and the novel: the ghost is shown as a philosopher, an artist in his soul; Sir Simon’s ghost has a fascinating voice, he is an individualist, not subject to female charms, he is wealthy and independent. Accidents, that are connected with the power of the irrational in Wilde’s works, help the action come to a happy ending. Wilde believed that sin contributes to progress, he was interested in characters with a difficult fate, who redeemed their sins. Sir Simon’s image is one of the first in a series of Wilde heroes who have received forgiveness and found peace. All the situations in the story, including the renewal of the stain, illustrate the thought of the pointlessness of the human struggle against the unreal. Mystical moonlight also reminds of the power of the irrational over human decisions and destinies, the mystery of. Wilde sees the creative, spiritual bond in love, the idea of completing the story with the marriage of an American woman and an Englishman is that the union of such different civilizations is possible only on the basis of love. The article shows the relationship of The Canterville Ghost with the previous and subsequent works of Wilde.