The Happy Prince

The Happy Prince
by Oscar Wilde
Fairy Tales
Once upon a time .
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Outline
Part A: Oscar Wilde: life and works
Part B: The Happy Prince
I. Summary
Retell the story
II. Translation
III. Analysis
1. Contents
2. Rhetorical Elements
3. The author’s viewpoints
Contents
- Protest against inequalities in society

- Praise for kindness
Protest against inequalities in society
The author contrasted sufficient life of the rich with poverty-stricken life of the poor:
The statue of the Happy Prince:
He was gilded all over with the leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt.
 The statue is beautiful and costs a lot of money
Protest against inequalities in society

The happy prince:
+ “I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace of Sans-Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter.”
+ “In the daytime I played with my companions in the garden, and in the evening I lead the dance in the Great Hall.”
+ “… everything about me was so beautiful. My courtiers called me the Happy Prince”
 life is full of pleasure
Protest against inequalities in society

People in the palace:
He passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lovers. “How wonderful the stars are,” he said to her, “and how wonderful is the power of love.”
- “I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State ball, she answered; “I have ordered passion-flowers ti be embroidered on it, but the seamstresses are so lazy.”
 life with parties and flying words
Protest against inequalities in society

The rich:
So the Swallow flew over the great city, and saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses
 life with beautiful houses and happiness
Protest against inequalities in society

The seamstress:
+ Her face is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked by the needle
+ In a bed in the corner of the room her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking for oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river water, so he is crying.
 Life is poor and hard
Protest against inequalities in society

The artist
He is trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre, but he is too cold to write any more. There is no fire in the grate, and hunger has made him faint.
 The artist suffers from hunger and cold weather
Protest against inequalities in society

The match-girl:
She has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she does not bring home some money, and she is crying. She has no shoes or stockings, and her little head is bare.
 The small girl is not taken care of by her family
Protest against inequalities in society
The beggars and the white faces of starving children

“… while the beggars were sitting at the gates. He flew into dark lanes, and saw the white faces of starving children looking out listlessly at the black streets. Under the archway of a bridge two little boys were lying in one another’s arms to try to keep themselves warm. “How hungry we are!” they said. “You must not lie here,” shouted the watchman, and they wandered out into the rain.”
Protest against inequalities in society
In short,
by contrasting these two different lives, the author’s genuine concern for the hapless poor people is reflected and at the same time a message is sent to the authorities concerned that they should strive hard to mitigate the evils and sufferings of the poor people.
Contents
- Protest against inequalities in society

- Praise for kindness
Praise for kindness
The Happy Prince
+ attention to the poor:
“… I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep.”
+ sympathy, love and care:
“Far away, “ continued the statue in a low musical voice
Praise for kindness
+ Sacrifice for others’ happiness:
“will you not bring her the ruby out of my sword-hilt”
“my eyes are all that I have left. They are made of rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years ago. Pluck out one of them and take it to him.”
“Pluck out my other eye, and give it to her, and her father will not beat her”
“I am covered with fine golds,” said the Prince, “you must take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it to my poor”
Praise for kindness
+ Entreating:
“Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow; said the Prince, “will you not stay with me for one night and be my messenger? The boy is so thirsty, and the mother so sad”
“Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow” said the Prince. “will you not stay with me one night longer?”
“do as I command you”
Praise for kindness
+ Feeling sorry for others’ death
At that moment a curious crack sounded inside the statue, as if something had broken. The fact is that the leaden heart had snapped right in two. It certainly was a dreadfully hard frost. (sorry for the Swallow)
Praise for kindness
The Swallow:
Person and self conflict: The Swallow has to make a clear cut choice between going to Egypt and staying with the Happy Prince, between living for himself and living for others, between self’s happiness and others’ happiness.
Praise for kindness
His reasons for not staying with the Happy Prince:
+ “My friends are flying up and down the Nile, and taking to the large lotus-flowers. Soon they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great King.”
+ “I am waited for in Egypt,” answered the Swallow. “Tomorrow my friends will fly up to the second Cataract. … At noon the yellow lions come down to the water edge to drink. They have eyes like green beryls and their roar is louder than the roar of the cataract”
+ “It is winter,” answered the Swallow, “and the chill snow will soon be here. In Egypt the sun is warm on the green palm trees, and the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them…”
Praise for kindness
His decision
+ “It is cold here,” he said, “but I will stay with you for one night, and be your messenger”
+ “I will wait with you one night longer,”
+ “I will stay with you one night longer”
+ “You are blind now,” he said, “so I will stay with you always”
Praise for kindness
His actions
+ Then he flew gently round the bed, fanning the boy’s forehead with his wings”
+ The Swallow plucked out the Prince’s eye, and flew away to the student’s garret.
+ So he plucked out the Prince’s other eye, and darted down with it. He swooped past the match-girl, and slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand.
+ He sat on the Prince’s shoulder, and told him stories of what had seen in strange lands.
Praise for kindness
His feelings
+ “but I feel quite warm now, although it is so cold.”
 helping others made him happy
Praise for kindness
His sufferings:
+ The poor little Swallow grew colder and colder, but he would not leave the Prince, he loved him too well. He picked up crumbs outside the baker’s door when the baker was not looking, and tried to keep himself warm by flapping his wings.
Praise for kindness
Praise for kindness:
At the end of the story, angels chose the leaden heart and the dead bird to be the two most precious things in the city. This is really a praise for kind-hearted people.
Outline
Part A: Oscar Wilde: life and works
Part B: The Happy Prince
I. Summary
II. Translation
III. Analysis
1. Contents
2. Rhetorical Elements
3. The author’s viewpoints

Rhetorical Elements

Repetition: is a feature of fairy tales, to make children remember important details easily.
What is repeated?
+ The Swallow’s thoughts of Egypt and his friends
+ The Prince’s entreating to the Swallow.
Effects:
+ The Swallow was different from other swallows.
+ The Prince made a great effort to help others.

Rhetorical Elements

Frequent use of contrast and conflict
+ Contrast: the poor and the rich
+ Self conflict of the Swallow
Effects:
+ The society of inequality is clearly reflected.
+ The struggle inside the Swallow makes his actions more respectable.
Outline
Part A: Oscar Wilde: life and works
Part B: The Happy Prince
I. Summary
II. Translation
III. Analysis
1. Contents
2. Rhetorical Elements
3. The author’s viewpoints
The author’s viewpoints
Sympathy for the poor
+ the author’s genuine concern for the hapless poor people
+ message to the authorities concerned that they should strive hard to mitigate the evils and sufferings of the poor people
The author’s viewpoints
Praise for kind-hearted people
+ the Happy Prince
+ the Swallow
The author’s viewpoints
Perspective of happiness
+ If happiness is pleasure
+ Happiness is what is felt when doing good things for others
The author’s viewpoints
Art for art’s sake
Oscar Wilde contradicts his theory of…

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