Author: Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854.
He was the son of Sir William Wilde who was a
doctor. He was educated at Portora Royal School. He won the newdigate prize with his poem ‘Ravenna’
in 1878. He wrote many novels, poems and stories. One of his best stories is ‘The Happy Prince’.
Summary: high above the city stood the statue of Happy Prince. He was glided all over with thin leaves
of fine gold, two bright sapphires in his eyes and a large ruby glowed on his sword. He is as beautiful as
weathercock. One night there flew over a swallow. His friends had gone to Egypt six week before but he
had stayed behind. He was in love with the most beautiful reed. He used to spend all the day with reed.
They remained together all the spring. Then autumn came and they got separate. After that the Swallow
felt lonely. He flew all the day and at night he found the statue of happy prince where he decided to sleep
for a night. After sometime few water drops begin to fell on him. When he turns his peak upward, he saw
that the statue of prince is crying. The swallow asked the reason of crying. Prince replied: when I was
alive, I had a human heart. I lived in palace of Sans-Suci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. My
courtiers called me the happy prince. When I died than they set me up so high that I can see all the
ugliness of my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep. Far away is a poor
house in which there is a woman who is seamstress. Her hands are red and all pricked by the needles. In
the bed in the corner of room her boy is lying ill. He has a fever and he is asking for oranges. His mother
has nothing to give him. Swallow, swallow, little swallow, will you give her a ruby from my sword.
Swallow replied: I am waited for in Egypt. My friends are flying to Nile. So I can’t do that job. Prince
said: swallow swallow will you stay with me and be my messenger? The boy is so thirsty. Swallow
replied: I don’t think that I like boys because two rude miller’s sons always throw stones on me. Prince
became sad. Swallow felt sorry and said that OK, I will stay with you for a night. So the swallow pick the
ruby from price sword and passed by the cathedral towers and reached the poor house. He laid the ruby
on table besides women thimble and flew away to the prince and said: Have you any commission for
Egypt? Prince replied: can you stay with me for a night? Swallow said that he is waited for in Egypt.
Tomorrow his friends will fly up to the second cataract. Prince said: swallow, swallow, little swallow, far
away across the city I see a young man in a garret. He has large and dreamy eyes. He is trying to finish
the play for the director of theatre but he is too cold to write. There is no fire in garret and he is hungry
also. Will pluck a sapphire from my eyes and give it to that young man. So swallow pluck a sapphire
from prince eyes and flew away to the young man home. He put the sapphire on table and flew back to
prince to say him good bye. Swallow, swallow, little swallow, will you stay with me for one night. In the
square below, there stands a little match girl. She has let her matches fall in gutter. Her father will beat
her if she didn’t bring money to home. Will pluck out my second sapphire and give it to that girl.
Swallow replied: prince, you will become blind if you do that. Prince said: do as I command. Than
swallow pluck out the other sapphire and slipped the jewel in the palm of that girl. She became happy and
went back to her home. Swallow came back to the prince and said that I will stay with you always. Prince
asked the swallow to flew away to the city and see what is happening there. Swallow flew away to
through the city and see the baggers at the doors of rich people and asking for food. Prince said to
swallow: swallow take all my gold leaves from my body and give them to all the baggers. Swallow took
leaf by leaf and give to all the baggers. After that winter came and the streets were full of silver snow.
Swallow grew colder and colder and at last he knew that he was going to die. He came to the prince and
said: good bye prince. I am going to the house of death. He said that and fell down on the feet of prince.
Next day mayor was walking with town’s councilor. He was shocked to the statue. There were no eyes on
the statue. The ruby has gone and he is no longer golden now. He looks better than baggers. Mayor saw a
dead bird at the statue’s feet and replied: we must issue a proclamation that birds should not be allowed
there. Then they melted the statue and made the statue of that mayor. As the workmen are melting the
statue, they found that the lead heart is not melting in the furnace. So they threw it away on the dust
where the dead swallow was also lying. After that God said to one of his angel to bring him two most
precious things in the city. Angels brought Him the leaden heart and the dead bird. God replied: you have
brought the right things for my garden of paradise. The little prince shall sing for everyone and in my city
of gold, the happy prince shall praise me.
Comment: the happy prince has fairy tale mode of expression. It creates a world which is ideal. But this
ideal fairy tale world is not separated from the surrounding realities of the Victorian age. It also
comments on shattering privileges and art for the sake of purity.
Theme: I the story, statue becomes outwardly uglier as prince achieves spiritual beauty. The swallow
achieves sacrificing his life for the love of prince.
Moral: moral of the story is sacrificing for the love i.e. how someone sacrifices his life for getting love.
Love and sacrifices are saving forces.