The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde: Complete Guide

Dive into the heartwarming world of The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde with this complete guide. Explore a detailed summary, learn the meanings of challenging words, and test your understanding with insightful Q&A. This story of selflessness and compassion features a prince who sacrifices his wealth to help the needy, and a swallow that remains loyal to its mission. Perfect for Class 9 English students, this guide will help you grasp key themes and answer common questions about this touching tale. Join us in discovering why The Happy Prince remains a timeless story of kindness!

Summary of The Happy Prince

Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince is a touching story about sacrifice, compassion, and the true meaning of happiness. It tells the tale of a golden statue and a kind-hearted swallow, showcasing their bond and selflessness.

The Happy Prince: A Statue with a Heart

The Happy Prince is a statue that stands tall in a city square. Once a joyful prince in life, he is now adorned with gold and precious jewels. From his lofty perch, the statue sees the suffering of the city’s poor. His golden exterior hides a sorrowful heart, filled with regret for his earlier ignorance of the world’s pain.

The Swallow’s Unexpected Friendship

One day, a swallow, late for his migration to Egypt, rests at the statue’s feet. The Prince asks the bird to stay and help him ease the misery of the city’s inhabitants. The swallow hesitates but agrees, moved by the Prince’s kindness.

Acts of Generosity

The Prince orders the swallow to pluck the ruby from his sword and give it to a poor seamstress. Next, he sends a sapphire to a struggling playwright, and later, another to a match-girl to save her from punishment. As winter arrives, the swallow grows weaker but continues to aid the Prince. The gold leaf covering the statue is stripped away and distributed to bring warmth to the poor.

A Sad but Noble End

In the end, the swallow succumbs to the cold and dies at the Prince’s feet. With no adornments left, the statue is declared useless and melted down by the city authorities. However, God recognises their sacrifice and grants them eternal joy in paradise.

Conclusion

The Happy Prince is a timeless story that reminds readers of the value of kindness and selflessness. Its poignant message stays relevant, urging us to care for those in need.

Word meaning of The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde

Words/Expressions	Meaning
Lofty	Very high or tall.
Perch	A place where something rests or is positioned, often high up.
Adorned	Decorated or made beautiful.
Seamstress	A woman who sews clothes as her job.
Sapphire	A precious blue stone used in jewellery.
Match-girl	A girl who sells matches (small sticks used to light fires).
Pluck	To pull something off quickly.
Succumbs	To die or give in to something stronger.
Migrate	To move from one place to another, especially for birds or animals during specific seasons.
Stripped	Removed completely.
Miserable	Very unhappy or uncomfortable.
Companionship	Friendship or being with someone so they are not alone.
Perished	Died, especially in a tragic or sudden way.
Useless	Not having any value or purpose.
Sacrifice	Giving up something important to help others or for a greater cause.
Eternal	Lasting forever, never-ending.

Think about it (Q&A of The Happy Prince)

1. Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?
   The courtiers call him ‘the Happy Prince’ because he was joyful in life, unaware of suffering. As a statue, he feels sad, seeing poverty and misery everywhere in the city.
2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
   The Prince sends a ruby to help the seamstress buy food for her sick child. The swallow places the ruby on her table and fans the child with its wings to cool his fever.
3. For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
   The Prince sends one sapphire to a poor playwright who cannot finish his play due to hunger. The other goes to a match-girl, saving her from punishment for dropping matches.
4. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
   The swallow sees rich people living comfortably while the poor suffer in hunger and cold. It witnesses beggars, starving children, and the sadness of the less fortunate.
5. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
   The swallow stays because it grows attached to the Prince and feels fulfilled helping the poor. It sacrifices its migration to comfort the Prince and assist in his good deeds.
6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
   The ruby, sapphires, and gold are precious for their material value. However, the Prince’s heart and the swallow’s love are truly precious for their selflessness and kindness.

Common Questions and Answers (The Happy Prince)

1. Why was the Prince called ‘happy’ when he was alive?
   The Prince was called ‘happy’ because he lived in luxury, surrounded by beauty and joy. He never experienced sadness or saw the misery of others.
2. Why did the Happy Prince feel unhappy as a statue?
   As a statue, the Prince could see the suffering of the poor in the city, which made him feel guilty for being ignorant of their struggles during his life.
3. Why did the swallow decide to help the Happy Prince?
   The swallow was moved by the Prince’s compassion for the poor. Despite planning to migrate, it chose to stay and carry out the Prince’s requests.
4. How did the Happy Prince help the seamstress and her son?
   The Prince sent the ruby from his sword to the seamstress, enabling her to buy food and care for her sick child.
5. What was the playwright’s condition, and how did the Happy Prince assist him?
   The playwright was too cold and hungry to write. The Prince sent him a sapphire, which helped him survive and complete his work.
6. Why was the match-girl crying, and how did the Prince help her?
   The match-girl dropped her matches and feared punishment. The Prince sent her a sapphire, saving her from trouble and hunger.
7. Why did the swallow stay with the Happy Prince till its death?
   The swallow stayed because it valued the bond with the Prince and found purpose in helping the poor. It sacrificed its own life for the Prince’s noble cause.
8. What happened to the Happy Prince’s statue in the end?
   The statue, stripped of its gold and jewels, was deemed worthless and melted down. However, its lead heart did not melt and was discarded.
9. What did God say about the Happy Prince and the swallow?
   God declared the lead heart and the dead swallow as the most precious things in the city and granted them eternal happiness in His paradise.
10. What is the moral lesson of The Happy Prince?
    The story teaches the value of selflessness, compassion, and helping the less fortunate. True happiness comes from acts of kindness and love.

Themes in The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince is rich in themes that explore human nature, social justice, and the meaning of true happiness. Here are some of the key themes of the story:

1. Selflessness and Sacrifice

The most prominent theme in the story is selflessness. The Happy Prince, once a carefree ruler, now understands the importance of helping others. He sacrifices his golden exterior, jewels, and even his heart to assist the poor and suffering people in the city. The swallow also demonstrates selflessness by staying with the Prince, despite its natural instinct to migrate, and helping him fulfill his mission.

2. Compassion and Empathy

The Prince’s ability to feel the pain of others shows the power of compassion. His sadness over the misery of the people around him contrasts sharply with his earlier indifference to their suffering. The story highlights how empathy can lead one to act for the greater good, even at great personal cost.

3. Social Injustice and Poverty

The story also addresses the theme of social inequality. Wilde contrasts the lavish life of the Prince with the extreme poverty and suffering in the city. The Prince’s eyes are opened to the harsh realities faced by the poor, including the cold, hunger, and neglect they endure. Wilde critiques the social system that allows such injustice to exist, urging readers to look beyond their own comfort and help those in need.

4. The Nature of True Happiness

The story challenges conventional ideas of happiness. The Prince, who once lived in luxury, discovers that true happiness lies in self-sacrifice and service to others. His joy comes not from material wealth but from the love and respect he receives for helping those in need. The swallow also finds happiness in helping the Prince, despite the personal cost.

5. The Value of Love and Friendship

The bond between the Prince and the swallow is central to the story. Their friendship, based on mutual respect and love, is a powerful force that drives the plot. The swallow stays with the Prince, not out of obligation, but out of love and loyalty, demonstrating that love can motivate even the most selfless acts.

6. The Power of Art and Beauty

The statue of the Prince represents beauty and art, but Wilde uses it to question the value of external appearances. Though the statue is adorned with gold and jewels, it is ultimately the Prince’s inner goodness, not his outward beauty, that makes him precious. This theme invites readers to reflect on what truly makes something valuable in life.

Through these themes, The Happy Prince teaches readers important lessons about compassion, social responsibility, and the true meaning of happiness. The story encourages us to look beyond superficial wealth and focus on the well-being of others.