Summary of "The Happy Prince"
The story "The Happy Prince" by Oscar Wilde is about a beautiful statue of a prince that stands high above a city. The statue is covered in gold and adorned with precious stones. One night, a swallow seeking shelter lands at the statue's feet and discovers that the Happy Prince, despite his name, is deeply sad. The Prince explains that when he was alive, he lived a life of luxury and never knew sorrow. Now as a statue, he sees the suffering of the city's poor and wishes to help them.
The Prince asks the swallow to take the ruby from his sword to a poor seamstress whose son is ill. Then, he asks the swallow to take one sapphire eye to a young playwright who is too cold and hungry to finish his work, and the other sapphire eye to a matchgirl who fears being beaten by her father. Despite the cold, the swallow agrees to stay with the Prince, helping him by distributing the gold leaf from his body to the poor.
The swallow eventually dies from the cold, and the Prince’s leaden heart breaks. The statue is deemed no longer beautiful and is removed by the townspeople. However, in the afterlife, God recognizes the true value of the Happy Prince and the swallow, and they are rewarded with eternal life in paradise.
Answers to "Think About It"
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 always seemed happy during his lifetime, living in luxury and never seeing sorrow. However, as a statue, he is not happy because he sees the misery and suffering in the city below him.
Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
- The Happy Prince sends a ruby to the seamstress because she is poor and her son is ill and thirsty. The swallow delivers the ruby and fans the boy's forehead to cool him down, helping him feel better.
For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
- The prince sends one sapphire to a young playwright who is cold and hungry, so he can buy firewood and finish his play. The other sapphire is sent to a matchgirl who fears being beaten by her father for losing her matches, so she can avoid punishment.
What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
- The swallow sees the contrast between the rich, who are happy and comfortable, and the poor, who are suffering and struggling to survive. He sees starving children, beggars, and people in need.
Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
- The swallow grows to care deeply for the Happy Prince and feels a sense of duty to help him in his mission to alleviate the suffering of the poor. Even though it is cold, the swallow stays with the Prince out of loyalty and compassion.
What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
- The precious things are the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow. They are precious because they symbolize selflessness, love, and sacrifice. Despite their physical appearances, they represent the highest virtues in God's eyes.
Personal Experience Sharing
The story prompts readers to reflect on acts of kindness that warm the heart. An experience where helping someone in need or performing a good deed made you feel warm and happy inside, despite any discomfort or sacrifice, would be similar to the swallow's feelings in the story.
