📘 The Happy Prince – Class 9 English (Beehive) Notes

About the Author – Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was a famous Irish poet and playwright known for his wit and moral storytelling. His works often reflect deep social meanings, beauty, and compassion. “The Happy Prince” is one of his best-known short stories, which teaches the value of love, kindness, and selflessness.

About the Story

“The Happy Prince” is a touching story about a golden statue of a prince who was once happy in life but became compassionate after his death. Standing high above the city, he sees the suffering of poor people and decides to help them. With the help of a kind-hearted swallow, the prince gives away his precious jewels to bring happiness to others.

Main Characters

• The Happy Prince: A beautiful statue gilded with gold and adorned with precious stones. He represents generosity and compassion.
• The Swallow: A small bird who becomes the prince’s messenger and companion. His loyalty and kindness make him a true hero of the story.
• The Townspeople: Symbolize the selfishness and ignorance of society, caring more for appearances than real values.

Summary of the Story

The story begins with a magnificent statue of the Happy Prince standing high above the city. The statue is covered with fine gold, with two bright sapphires for eyes and a large ruby on his sword hilt. Everyone admires him for his beauty.

One evening, a little swallow who was flying to Egypt for the winter rests at the statue’s feet. When he feels drops of water falling, he looks up and sees that the prince is crying. The prince tells him that when he was alive, he lived in a palace where sorrow was never allowed to enter. He never knew what sadness or poverty was. But now, from his high position, he can see the misery and suffering of the poor and helpless people in the city.

The prince asks the swallow to help him by taking the ruby from his sword and giving it to a poor seamstress who has a sick child. The swallow agrees and delivers the ruby. Though it delays his journey to Egypt, the bird feels happy for helping someone in need.

The next night, the prince sees a poor playwright struggling in the cold. He asks the swallow to take one sapphire from his eye and give it to the man. The swallow obeys, though it makes him sad to pluck the prince’s eye. The following night, the prince gives away his second sapphire to a poor match girl who is beaten by her father for losing her matches.

Now the Happy Prince has no eyes, but he continues to ask the swallow to help more people. The swallow stays back, even in the freezing weather, because he loves the prince deeply. He carries the gold leaves from the statue and distributes them among the poor.

Finally, winter arrives. The swallow becomes weak and cold but does not leave the prince. Before dying, he kisses the prince and falls dead at his feet. At that very moment, the prince’s leaden heart breaks in two.

When the townspeople see the dull, bare statue the next morning, they decide to melt it. But the broken lead heart does not melt and is thrown away with the swallow’s body. In heaven, God asks one of His angels to bring Him the two most precious things in the city — the angel brings the dead swallow and the prince’s broken heart. God blesses them, saying they will live forever in His paradise for their love and sacrifice.

Major Themes

• Compassion and Charity: The story teaches the beauty of giving and helping those in need.
• Love and Sacrifice: Both the Happy Prince and the Swallow give up everything for others’ happiness.
• Social Injustice: Wilde highlights the gap between the rich and poor and criticizes the superficial nature of society.
• Spiritual Beauty: True beauty lies not in appearance but in kindness and goodness.

Important Points

• The Happy Prince was once a real prince who lived a joyful but shallow life.
• After death, he became aware of suffering and wanted to help the poor.
• The Swallow symbolizes loyalty and compassion.
• Together, they sacrifice everything for others’ welfare.
• Their reward is eternal peace in heaven.

Character Sketches

The Happy Prince: Once unaware of human misery, he becomes a symbol of love and selflessness. His transformation from material beauty to moral greatness reflects the true meaning of happiness.

The Swallow: Represents faithfulness and devotion. Despite harsh conditions, he chooses to stay with the prince till his last breath, proving that true friendship transcends all boundaries.

Message of the Story

The story conveys that real happiness comes from helping others. Wealth and beauty are temporary, but love and kindness make life meaningful. The Happy Prince and the Swallow show that humanity and sacrifice are divine virtues.

Moral of the Story

True beauty lies in a pure heart and selfless deeds. Compassion, generosity, and empathy towards others make a person truly noble.

Conclusion

“The Happy Prince” is not just a fairy tale but a lesson for all ages. It urges us to look beyond luxury and appearances, to care for the poor and suffering. Oscar Wilde’s timeless message reminds us that the greatest treasure in the world is a kind heart.