The Happy Prince
Introduction:
“The Happy Prince” is a touching short story by Oscar Wilde that explores themes of compassion, sacrifice, and the disparity between wealth and poverty. It narrates the story of a magnificent statue of a prince and a little swallow, illustrating how selflessness and kindness can alleviate the suffering of the less fortunate.
Summary of the Story:
The Happy Prince was once a real prince who lived a life of luxury and happiness. When he died, a beautiful statue of him, adorned with gold leaves and precious stones, was erected on a tall column in the city. From this vantage point, the statue could see the misery and suffering of the people below.
One day, a swallow, who was delayed in his migration to Egypt, sought refuge at the feet of the statue. The prince, who had a compassionate heart, shared his sorrow over the plight of the poor in the city. Moved by their suffering, the prince asked the swallow to help him distribute his wealth among the needy.
Initially reluctant, the swallow agreed to assist. He carried the ruby from the prince’s sword hilt to a seamstress whose child was ill. Then, he took one sapphire eye to a struggling playwright and the other to a match-girl who had no money. With each act of generosity, the prince’s appearance became less splendid, but his heart grew lighter with joy.
Despite the cold weather, the swallow remained with the prince, helping him until he was left with no treasures to give away. Finally, the swallow succumbed to the harsh winter, dying at the prince’s feet. Soon after, the prince’s leaden heart cracked. The townspeople, seeing the now dull and broken statue, decided to remove it. However, God deemed the prince’s lead heart and the swallow’s body as the most precious things in the city, rewarding their sacrifice with eternal happiness in His paradise.
Themes in The Happy Prince
- Compassion and Sacrifice:
The prince’s transformation from a self-centered ruler to a symbol of compassion highlights the importance of selflessness. He willingly gives away his treasures to alleviate the suffering of others. Similarly, the swallow sacrifices his migration and eventually his life for the noble cause. - Social Inequality:
The story sheds light on the glaring disparity between the rich and the poor. While the prince and the swallow represent benevolence, the city symbolizes indifference toward poverty and suffering. - Love and Friendship:
The bond between the Happy Prince and the swallow emphasizes the power of love and friendship. The swallow’s loyalty to the prince reflects the deep connection that transcends personal desires. - True Wealth:
True wealth, as depicted in the story, lies in acts of kindness and generosity, rather than material possessions. By giving away his gold and jewels, the prince achieves spiritual richness.
Character Analysis
- The Happy Prince:
- The Happy Prince is a symbol of transformation.
- His journey from a blissfully ignorant prince to a compassionate statue is central to the story.
- Through his actions, the prince becomes a beacon of hope and kindness, teaching the value of empathy.
- The Swallow:
- The swallow represents loyalty and altruism.
- Initially driven by self-interest, he gradually grows to understand the prince’s vision and becomes his companion in helping the poor.
- His ultimate sacrifice underscores his unwavering commitment to the cause.
- The Poor and Needy:
- Characters such as the seamstress, the playwright, and the match-girl highlight the harsh realities of poverty.
- Their struggles evoke sympathy and underline the societal neglect of the underprivileged.
- The Townspeople:
- The townspeople symbolize materialism and superficiality.
- They value the statue for its external beauty but fail to appreciate the deeper significance of the prince’s sacrifices.
Moral Lessons
- Generosity and Kindness:
The story emphasizes the importance of selfless giving. True happiness lies in making others happy. - Compassion for the Less Fortunate:
The Happy Prince inspires readers to be more empathetic toward those in need and to take action against social injustices. - Inner Beauty Over External Appearance:
The tale reminds us that outward beauty is transient, but inner goodness and kindness leave a lasting impact. - The Power of Sacrifice:
Both the prince and the swallow demonstrate that noble deeds often require personal sacrifice, but the rewards are immeasurable.
Symbolism in the Story
- The Statue of the Happy Prince:
- Represents wealth, privilege, and transformation.
- The prince’s decision to give away his riches symbolizes the shedding of materialism in favor of spiritual fulfillment.
- The Swallow:
- Symbolizes loyalty and love.
- His migration journey reflects the idea of life’s journey and the choices we make.
- Gold and Precious Stones:
- Represent material wealth.
- Their distribution signifies the redistribution of wealth for the greater good.
- The Lead Heart:
- Symbolizes the prince’s enduring compassion.
- Though broken, it remains spiritually valuable.
Key Quotes and Their Significance
- “I am covered with fine gold. You must take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it to the poor.”
- This quote illustrates the prince’s selflessness and his willingness to sacrifice everything for the well-being of others.
- “It is very cold here, but I will stay with you for one night, and be your messenger.”
- This statement by the swallow shows his initial reluctance, which eventually transforms into unwavering devotion.
- “Bring me the two most precious things in the city,” said God to one of His angels; and the angel brought Him the leaden heart and the dead bird.”
- This quote highlights the moral that true value lies in sacrifice and love, not material wealth.
Structure and Style
- Simple Language: The story is written in a straightforward style, making it accessible to readers of all ages.
- Allegorical Elements: The tale functions as an allegory, with characters and events representing deeper moral and philosophical truths.
- Emotional Appeal: The story evokes empathy and compassion, engaging readers on a profound emotional level.
Relevance to Modern Times
Even today, the story of “The Happy Prince” resonates deeply. It highlights pressing issues such as economic inequality, lack of compassion, and societal neglect of the underprivileged. The message of selflessness and the need for collective responsibility is as relevant as ever, urging us to be more considerate and proactive in addressing the needs of others.
Conclusion
Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” is a timeless tale that teaches the importance of kindness, sacrifice, and empathy. It reminds readers that true happiness is found in giving, and even the smallest acts of compassion can have a profound impact. Through the prince and the swallow’s selflessness, the story inspires us to lead lives of purpose and generosity, leaving behind a legacy of love and humanity.
Importent Q/A of
Question 1: Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?
Answer: The courtiers called the prince ‘the Happy Prince’ because he was always happy. When he was alive, he did not know what tears were for he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter. However, when he died and was made into a statue, he was not happy and tears flowed down his eyes on seeing the state of his city. He could see all the misery and ugliness of the city around him.
Question 2: Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
Answer: The Happy Prince sent a ruby for the seamstress as she was extremely poor and could not feed her child who was suffering from fever.
The swallow, on being persuaded by the prince, went to the seamstress’s house. She had fallen asleep so the swallow kept the ruby on the table where the woman worked. He then flew round the bed fanning the boy’s forehead with his wings. This made the boy feel relaxed and he went to sleep.
Question 3: For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
Answer: The Happy Prince sent the sapphires for two people: the young writer across the city and the match girl.
The young writer was trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre. However, he was too cold to write anymore, there was no fire in the grate and hunger had made him faint. He sent the sapphire to the young playwright so that he could sell it to the jeweller, buy firewood, and finish his play. On seeing the sapphire, the young man felt appreciated and believed that he could finish his play.
The Happy Prince then saw a little matchgirl who was standing in the square just below him. She had let her matches fall in the gutter because of which they were all spoiled. The prince knew that her father would beat her if she did not bring home some money. When the swallow slipped the jewel into the palm of the little girl’s hand, she ran home happy and laughing.
Question 4: What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
Answer: When the swallow flew over the city it saw the stark contrast of plenty and poverty. It saw rich men making merry oblivious to the plight of the poor down the lane. It saw the nadir of condition of poor when they are denied even a sound sleep by police patrolling the street.
Question 5: Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
Answer: Since the price had given away the two sapphires of his eyes, he had become blind. Therefore, the swallow decided to stay with the prince always. It can be inferred that the swallow was so touched by prince’s kindness that he decided to stay back rather than flying to Egypt and be with his friends. What this suggests is that kind hearted people always attract friends who will stay with them forever.
Question 6: What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
Answer: The precious things mentioned in the story are the leaden heart of the happy prince and the dead bird. They are precious because both the happy prince and the swallow were very kind, generous and selfless. The prince could not bear to see the ugliness, misery and suffering in his city and so gave away all his precious stones and gold to make his people happy.
Similarly the swallow sacrificed his trip to Egypt and acted as the prince’s messenger carrying the precious stones and gold to the needy spreading happiness around. When the prince was blind he still loved him so much that he never left him even though it kept getting colder and colder with winter approaching. Finally when he could no longer bear the cold he died at the feet of the statue and the statue loved him so much that its leaden heart broke into two.That is why when God asked one of the angels to bring him the two precious things in the garden the angel took the leaden heart and the dead bird and God said that in his garden of Paradise the little bird shall sing for ever more and in the city of gold the Happy Prince shall praise God.
Also Visit eStudyzone for English Medium Study Material
