What Is the Moral of The Happy Prince? Themes & Character Insights
The 5th Chapter in the Class 9 English Supplementary Reader includes particular prose, The Happy Prince. The Happy Prince Summary provided here is going to be helpful for students who want to know more about the chapter and the prose.
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The Happy Prince Summary
The basic summary of the prose describes the story of a Prince’s statue that is loaded with golden leaves and gems. The story also describes a swallow bird who agrees to help all the people who are needy in the kingdom on the instructions of the prince’s statue. Read the entire prose as well as the happy prince summary and analysis to know more. This summary is a guide for the students who want to understand what the chapter means in a moral sense.
The Story of the Happy Prince Summary
The Happy Prince is one of the compositions of Oscar Wilde. The story is about a sculpture of the Happy Prince which was covered with precious gems and golden leaves. This statue, placed at the very top was overlooked the entire city. A swallow flying on top of the statue notices one day that the statue of the Happy Prince is actually not happy and was miserable. Upon asking, the statue revealed that he was once a happy person and he overlooked the miseries of the townspeople. He wasn’t informed about the problems that his people went through during his lifetime. It was only after his death when the statue was made could he look at the people and see how poor and miserable they were. Students can read the full summary from the happy prince summary PDF.
The swallow upon seeing how miserable the prince was, agreed to be his messenger and tried to help people on his instructions. This pleased the Prince as he knew he would be able to help people. First of all, the prince ordered the bird to pluck the red ruby from his sword and take it to the seamstress who was in need of money for her diseased son. The bird followed his command and took the jewel to the seamstress.
After that, the prince told the bird to take a sapphire from one of his eyes so that he could give it to the dramatist who wasn’t able to create a fire in order to complete his work during the winter season. Then the bird again did as it was told. Then the prince ordered the bird to take another sapphire from his eyes and give it to the match girl who lost all her matches when they fell into the canal. Despite knowing that he would be visually impaired, the bird decided to do as the price willed. All of the details are mentioned in Oscar Wilde the happy prince summary.
Even after losing his sight, the prince still wanted to help more and more people. The bird decided to not leave his side since he couldn’t see. After some time, he ordered the bird, again and again, to take the leaves from his statue and give it to those who were in need. During the winter season, as the bird did the prince’s bidding, he became weaker and weaker. Eventually, the bird fell completely ill and died.
When that happened, the prince’s statue cracked symbolizing something breaking. It was the leaden heart that the prince had. By that point, the prince’s statue had actually lost all its glamour. When the Town Counsellors and the Mayor saw the state of the prince’s sculpture, they took it down and decided to melt it. They threw the statue into a furnace. However, the leaden heart of the prince which was broken did not melt. The people decided to throw the heart in the same place that the bird had died. The happy prince summary tells the students about the acts of the bird and the prince who wanted to help the people of the town.
As the story progresses, God made a request to his angels so that they could bring him the most valuable things from the city. Then the angels brought the body of the bird and the leaden heart of the prince to God who cherished the charming creations he had created.
The moral of the story discussed in the happy prince summary and analysis is that showing compassion towards those who are needful will bring you happiness in life.
Conclusion
The following article provides the happy prince summary in short. Students will learn the moral aspects of the chapter and get to know more about how helping others can be one of the kindest acts of all time. This article will also aid them in creating essays about the prose and preparing well for their upcoming examinations.
FAQs on Happy Prince Summary: Key Lessons from Oscar Wilde’s Classic
1. Why was the statue of the Happy Prince crying?
The statue of the Happy Prince was crying because from his high pedestal, he could see all the ugliness and misery of his city. When he was alive, he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter, so he never knew the suffering of his people. As a statue, he was confronted with the poverty and pain of the citizens, such as a poor seamstress and a starving playwright, and his leaden heart ached with sadness, causing him to weep.
2. What is the main theme of Oscar Wilde's 'The Happy Prince'?
The main themes in 'The Happy Prince' are compassion, sacrifice, and the difference between outward appearance and inner beauty. The story explains that true happiness comes not from wealth or pleasure, but from selfless acts of charity and love for others. It critiques social inequality and highlights that true value lies in a kind heart (like the Prince's leaden heart) rather than in superficial riches (like gold and jewels).
3. What role does the little swallow play in the story?
The little swallow initially acts as a messenger for the Prince out of pity, but its role evolves into one of deep friendship and sacrifice. The swallow becomes the Prince's hands and feet, delivering the jewels from the statue to the needy. This partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration and loyalty. Ultimately, the swallow sacrifices its own life by staying with the Prince in the cold, symbolising that love and companionship are more valuable than survival.
4. How does the story explain the difference between outer and inner beauty?
The story uses the Prince's statue to explain this difference. Initially, the statue is admired for its external beauty—covered in gold leaf and precious stones. However, its true worth comes from its inner compassion. As the Prince sacrifices his jewels and gold to help the poor, he becomes dull and grey on the outside but spiritually beautiful on the inside. In the end, God judges the Prince and the swallow based on their inner worth—their leaden heart and the dead bird—calling them the most precious things in the city.
5. What is the significance of the leaden heart and the dead swallow at the end of the story?
The leaden heart and the dead swallow are powerful symbols of true worth and selfless love. The heart, which did not melt in the furnace, represents the unbreakable and enduring nature of compassion. The dead swallow represents the ultimate sacrifice made in the name of friendship and empathy. When God's angel declares them the two most precious things in the city, it reinforces the story's central message that acts of love and sacrifice hold eternal value, far greater than any material wealth.
6. How does 'The Happy Prince' serve as a critique of society?
The story critiques the hypocrisy and indifference of the ruling class and society towards the poor. It highlights several examples:
- The Town Councillors admire the statue for its beauty but tear it down when it looks shabby, showing their focus on appearance over substance.
- The Mayor's self-important pronouncements and focus on trivial rules contrast sharply with the genuine suffering of the people.
- The story shows a society where artists starve, children are hungry, and the rich live in oblivious comfort.
7. Why is the story titled 'The Happy Prince' if the Prince is unhappy throughout?
The title 'The Happy Prince' is an example of irony. While the Prince was called 'happy' when he was alive because he was ignorant of suffering, he only discovers the meaning of true, profound happiness after his death. As a statue, though he weeps for the suffering of others, the acts of giving away his beauty bring him a deeper, more meaningful joy. This suggests that true happiness is found not in personal pleasure but in alleviating the pain of others, transforming the title from a simple description to a profound statement.
