Class : 9 – Lesson (22) The Happy Prince
EXPLANATION & SUMMARY
📚 Introduction to the Story
The Happy Prince is a short story by Oscar Wilde that beautifully blends fantasy, compassion, and social criticism. It narrates the tale of a majestic statue—the Happy Prince—who, once a living prince unaware of human suffering, now sees the misery of the poor from his high pedestal. With the help of a little swallow, he sacrifices all his beauty and riches to bring relief to the needy. The story conveys the values of love 🟢, charity 🟡, sacrifice 🔵, and the importance of true humanity.
👨🎨 About the Author
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was an Irish poet, playwright, and novelist. Known for his wit and criticism of social injustice, his works often reflect themes of compassion, beauty, and morality. The Happy Prince is one of his most loved fairy tales, published in The Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888).
💡 Themes of the Story
🟢 True happiness lies in giving, not in wealth.
🔵 Compassion and charity uplift humanity.
🟡 Beauty and riches are meaningless without kindness.
🟠 Sacrifice leads to spiritual reward.
🟣 Criticism of social inequality and indifference.
🎬 Main Episodes of the Story
1️⃣ The Statue of the Happy Prince
A magnificent golden statue with sapphire eyes and a ruby on his sword hilt stands above the city. Once a prince who lived in luxury, he never knew sorrow. After death, his statue is placed high above, and from there he sees the suffering of the poor.
2️⃣ The Arrival of the Swallow
A little swallow, on its way to Egypt, rests beneath the statue. The Prince requests the bird to stay and help him distribute his riches to the needy. At first reluctant, the swallow gradually grows compassionate and obedient.
3️⃣ Helping the Poor
The Happy Prince sees misery everywhere—hungry children, poor seamstresses, struggling playwrights, and beggars. He asks the swallow to pluck the ruby, sapphires, and gold leaves from his body and give them to the poor. Though this makes the statue dull and unattractive, it brings relief to the suffering.
4️⃣ The Bond Between the Prince and the Swallow
As days pass, the swallow becomes deeply attached to the Prince. Though it was supposed to migrate to warmer lands, it stays back out of love and loyalty. The swallow carries out every command, even in the bitter cold.
5️⃣ The Swallow’s Death
Eventually, the swallow grows weak in the cold and dies at the feet of the Happy Prince after kissing him goodbye. At that moment, the statue’s leaden heart breaks into two.
6️⃣ The Statue’s Fate
The statue, now dull and unattractive, is pulled down by the city authorities who consider it useless. However, God values the sacrifice, and angels bring the two most precious things from the city—the broken heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow—to heaven.
🎭 Tone, Style, and Devices
✨ Tone – Compassionate, moral, and reflective.
✨ Imagery – Glittering statue, poor seamstress, hungry children.
✨ Symbolism – Gold, ruby, and sapphires = material beauty; Swallow = loyalty and love; Broken heart = ultimate sacrifice.
✨ Irony – The city leaders discard the statue, but God treasures it forever.
🕊️ Lessons and Takeaways
✔️ True happiness lies in sacrifice and service to others.
✔️ Wealth and beauty are meaningless without kindness.
✔️ Love and loyalty endure beyond death.
✔️ Human society often values appearance, but God values compassion.
✔️ Charity and empathy are the true measures of humanity.
🌟✨ Summary (Approx. 150 words) ✨🌟
The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde is a touching tale about a golden statue of a prince who, in life, never knew sorrow. From his high pedestal, he now witnesses the poverty and suffering of the people. With the help of a swallow, he gives away his ruby, sapphires, and gold leaves to the poor, bringing relief to their hardships. The swallow, moved by love and compassion, stays behind despite the cold and finally dies at the Prince’s feet. The Prince’s heart breaks, and the statue is declared useless by the authorities. Yet, in heaven, God values the broken heart and the dead swallow as the most precious things in the city. The story conveys the message that real happiness comes from selflessness, charity, and compassion, not material wealth.
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PASSAGE
📖 Passage
“The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears ran down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity.”
🌟 Questions and Answers
1️⃣ Question: Why were the eyes of the Happy Prince filled with tears?
🟢 Answer: The Happy Prince wept because from his high pedestal he saw the misery, poverty, and suffering of the people in the city.
2️⃣ Question: What effect did the sight of the Prince’s tears have on the Swallow?
🟢 Answer: The Swallow was deeply moved with pity and decided to stay back to help the Happy Prince instead of continuing his journey to Egypt.
3️⃣ Question: What does the phrase “his face was so beautiful in the moonlight” symbolise?
🔵 Options:
A. The Prince’s outward beauty made of gold and jewels
B. The inner beauty of compassion reflected on his face
C. The moon’s reflection on his golden statue
D. The glory of his royal life when alive
🟢 Answer: B. The inner beauty of compassion reflected on his face
4️⃣ Question: What decision did the Swallow make after seeing the Prince’s tears?
🟢 Answer: The Swallow decided to stay and act as the Prince’s messenger, carrying his jewels and gold leaves to help the poor.
5️⃣ Question: Assertion (A): The Swallow stayed with the Prince only because of his outer beauty.
Reason (R): The Prince’s golden face looked charming in the moonlight.
🔵 Options:
A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is false, but R is true.
D. Both A and R are false.
🟢 Answer: C. A is false, but R is true.
6️⃣ Question: How does this passage reflect the main theme of the story?
🟢 Answer: It shows that true beauty lies in compassion and sacrifice. The Prince’s tears symbolise selfless love, while the Swallow’s pity begins their bond of charity.
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OTHER IMPORTANTQUESTIONS: –
1️⃣ Question: Who is the author of The Happy Prince?
🟢 Answer: The story is written by Oscar Wilde.
2️⃣ Question: Why was the statue of the Happy Prince admired by everyone?
🟢 Answer: Because it was covered with thin gold leaves, had sapphire eyes, and a ruby on the sword hilt, making it glitter beautifully.
3️⃣ Question: Why did the Happy Prince weep?
🟢 Answer: From his high pedestal, he saw the misery and poverty of the people and felt helpless to ease their suffering.
4️⃣ Question: Who helped the Happy Prince in his mission of charity?
🟢 Answer: A little Swallow helped the Happy Prince by carrying jewels and gold to the poor.
5️⃣ Question: Why did the Swallow delay his journey to Egypt?
🟢 Answer: Out of compassion and loyalty, the Swallow stayed to help the Happy Prince distribute his riches to the needy.
6️⃣ Question: How did the Happy Prince help the poor seamstress?
🟢 Answer: He sent the ruby from his sword hilt through the Swallow to relieve her misery.
7️⃣ Question: What did the Happy Prince sacrifice to help the playwright and the matchgirl?
🟢 Answer: He gave away both sapphire eyes to help the struggling playwright and the poor matchgirl.
8️⃣ Question: How did the Happy Prince finally lose all his beauty?
🟢 Answer: The Swallow stripped him of his ruby, sapphires, and gold leaves, leaving him dull and unattractive.
9️⃣ Question: Why did the Swallow die at the Prince’s feet?
🟢 Answer: The Swallow, weakened by the cold, died out of love and loyalty after serving the Prince till the end.
🔟 Question: What happened to the statue after it lost its beauty?
🟢 Answer: The city officials considered it useless and pulled it down to be melted in a furnace.
1️⃣1️⃣ Question: What did God consider the two most precious things in the city?
🟢 Answer: The broken leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead body of the Swallow.
1️⃣2️⃣ Question: What is the irony in the story?
🟢 Answer: While the townspeople valued only outward beauty, God valued sacrifice, compassion, and love, proving true worth lies in selflessness.
1️⃣3️⃣ Question: What is the main message of The Happy Prince?
🟢 Answer: True happiness comes from sacrifice, compassion, and charity, not from wealth or outward beauty.
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