The Happy Prince is a story written by Oscar Wilde that revolves around the theme of selflessness and sacrifice. The main character of the story is a statue of a prince that is covered in gold leaf and precious stones. Despite his luxurious appearance, the prince is unhappy because he is unable to help the poor and suffering people of the city.
One day, a swallow flies by and the prince asks the bird to take some of his gold leaf and precious stones and give them to the poor. The swallow agrees and begins to distribute the prince's wealth among the needy. However, as the winter approaches, the swallow becomes weak and cannot fly south to escape the cold. The prince then asks the swallow to stay with him and keep him company until the spring, knowing that he will freeze to death in the winter.
The prince's selfless act of giving away his wealth and sacrificing his own life to keep the swallow company demonstrates the theme of selflessness and sacrifice. The prince is willing to give up everything he has in order to help others and make a difference in their lives. He does not care about his own comfort or happiness, but only about the well-being of others.
In the end, the prince's love and selflessness inspire the swallow to do the same. The swallow, who was once only concerned with its own survival, decides to stay with the prince and freeze to death alongside him. This demonstrates the transformative power of selflessness and how it can inspire others to follow in our footsteps and make a positive impact on the world.
Overall, the theme of The Happy Prince is one of selflessness and sacrifice. It shows the importance of putting others before ourselves and how doing so can inspire others to do the same. It serves as a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact on the world around us.
The Happy Prince: Themes & Analysis
But after his statue had been erected, he was able to see all the ugliness and misery of the city, and even though he now had a heart of lead, he could still feel the pain, which made him cry. The prince has a greater beauty after stripping himself of his outward attractions; the nobility of his soul is greater than that of his blood. Instead of being grateful for his care and compassion, the townspeople judge the prince by his outward appearance. They face so many hardships that it appears that they cannot succeed. The portrayal of the masses as victims of the greed of the rich is contrasted with the arrogance of the rich to turn a blind eye to the scarcity of the poor. A final irony is that when the Prince dies, he is accepted into heaven because he is a good soul. The same happens with the Swallow.
Why is there a conflict of the story the Happy Prince?
In the end, Wilde uses this story both as a subtle defense of homosexuality and a more direct proclamation of the centrality of love and compassion in human affairs. God warmly welcomed the two beings in His garden of Paradise and regarded them as His charming creations. Something that is clear to the reader when the Mayor suggests that the Happy Prince should be replaced with a statue of himself. The idea of judging someone based on how they look is one of the central themes of Oscar Wilde's ''The Happy Prince. Therefore, he weeps because he has very soft heart and he cannot stand the miseries of the people. This is important as it highlights just how dedicated the Swallow is to the Happy Prince. They are shocked to see it without ruby, sapphires, and gold covering.
Short Story Analysis: The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde
About Oscar Wilde The life of the Irish novelist, poet, essayist, and playwright Oscar Wilde 1854-1900 is as famous as — perhaps even more famous than — his work. The sculpture of the Happy Prince looked marvellous and everyone praised the beauty of the statue. Bing Crosby and Orson Welles, those giants of Hollywood, even tried to make it into a musical extravaganza, though not with any real success. The Swallow could join his bird friends in warm weather but decides to stay in the cold to help the Prince deliver his treasures to save the poor. Hunger has made him faint. The bird followed his command and took the jewel to the seamstress.
Poverty, Inequality, and Greed Theme in The Happy Prince
Short Story of the Happy Prince for Kids Once there was a statue of a Happy Prince. Wilde married and had two children; however, he had a homosexual love affair for which he was put on trial, convicted of indecency, and imprisoned in Britain for two years. The real beauty is the love and sacrifice. When the professor sees the Swallow, he writes a long letter to the local newspaper. He is so hypocrite that he adds that he is not quite useful for the fear of the people. Even if good deeds may not always be rewarded, the happiness which comes with performing a good deed soon becomes a reward in itself.
''The Happy Prince'' by Oscar Wilde
Though platonic in nature there love is romanticized in the story. Whereas Dorian Gray will remain outwardly beautiful while he commits foul and evil deeds because his portrait, kept out of sight in the attic, turns grotesquely ugly while Dorian Gray the man remains young and handsome , the Happy Prince loses his outward beauty as he commits more and more generous and selfless acts. Love and Compassion The theme of compassion appears in the Prince's actions, as he gives away his jewels and gold as soon as the Swallow agrees to deliver them for him. He was an excellent student, receiving scholarships and graduating with honors. This turn to morality resonates with Victorian values while still condemning that society for its hypocrisy. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. However, this is not the real end of the story.
