1. AS A FAIRY TALE OR THE MESSAGE OF THE STORY
Q. No. 1: What is fairy tale? Is this story a fairy tale? If your answer is “yes” give reasons? OR What type of story is “THE HAPPY PRINCE”? ORWhat is the moral message of the story?
Answer: “The Happy Prince” is a fairy-tale as well as a fantasy. It’s a fairy tale because of its supernatural atmosphere. As a fantasy, it has a deep moral lesson in it. Let’s discuss the story as a fantasy and fairy-tale. .
First, the language of a fantasy is simple and easy to understand because mostly the readers are children. No doubt, the language of the story is simple and easy to understand.
Second, we see the statue and swallow talking to each other and helping the down trodden. We do not see such sights in the real world.
Third, a fairy tale is a story with moral purpose. The story under discussion also has a very sublime moral lesson. It tells us that man has been created with some purpose. He is not here to live for himself rather he is here to serve others. The world is faced with poverty and hunger. Man must remove his apathetic attitude and help others. It is truly the surest way to win God’s pleasure as we see the happy prince and swallow winning God’s pleasure at the end of the story. (Words: 189)
2. A CHARACTER SKETCH OF THE HAPPY PRINCE
Q. No. 2: How did the Happy Prince try to help miserable people? ORHow did the Happy Prince get real beauty? OR How did the swallow help the statue in removing the misery of people? OR What makes the Happy Prince weep? OR The Happy Prince sees best when he has no eye. Discuss.
The Happy Prince sees best when he has no eyes to see. Explain.
Answer: It is true that the Happy Prince sees best when he has no eye. After his death, the beautiful statue of the happy prince was fixed on a tall column but he came to know the misery of his people. He began to repent because he could not help them when he was alive. He wept and wanted to help them. Luckily, a swallow came to seek protection under his feet. The statue requested the swallow to help him in helping the miserable people. So, the statue sacrificed his sapphire, ruby and gold to help the people.
But the statue became ugly. The swallow also died. Mayor of the city and his councilors decided to melt the statue in a furnace. Later, they threw it on a dust heap. The dead swallow was also lying there. Both the statue and dead swallow were useless things in the eyes of people. But they were the most precious things in the eyes of God. That was the way with which the statue and swallow got “THE REAL BEAUTY.” (Words: 176)
3. ELEMENTS OF SATIRE OR CRITICISM ON THE RULERS OR A SATIRE ON MODERN SOCIETY
Q. No. 3: Discuss the elements of satire in “The Happy Prince” OR How does the writer criticize the rulers? OR How far does the story mirror to modern life remote from reality? OR What does the writer want to convey by his story? ORThe writer wants to satirize the false standards of modern society. Discuss.
Answer: – “The Happy Prince” is a story based on satire. Let’s try to discuss these elements of satire.
First element of satire is very obvious when we see the town councilor praising the golden statue in a careful manner just to have some reputation.
Second element of satire is very clear when we see a boy “Crying for the moon.” His mother also advises her not to cry because according to her “The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for moon.” At that, a disappointed man says, “I am glad there is someone in the world who is quite happy.” Here the double satire is very obvious.
Third element of satire is the letter written by professor of Ornithology. It was full of ambiguity. Same ambiguity and obscurity is the hall mark of modern writings.
Fourth, the writer wants to criticize the rulers of Victorian Age. They were indifferent to the problems of their subjects. Same is the case with the modern rulers.
So, it is very obvious that besides being a good fairy tale with a moral lesson, the story also satirizes the false standards of Victorian as well as modern society. (Words: 192)
4. THE ROLE OF THE SWALLOW
Q. No. 4: What is the role of the swallow in the story? OR Why does the Happy Prince feel the need of an agent? What makes the swallow obey him? OR How does the swallow help the statue in removing the misery of people?
Answer:The statue of the Happy Prince needs the help of someone to help the poor. Luckily a swallow seeks protection under the feet of the statue. The swallow comes to know that the statue is very sad and wants to help the miserable people. The statue of the Happy Prince requests the swallow to help him in helping the miserable people. The swallow expresses his willingness.
So the swallow helps the people and gets spiritual pleasure out of this job. He flies here and there regardless of the rough weather in order to get firsthand knowledge of the misery of the people. He remains true to the prince till the last moment of his life. He dies at his feet. That’s why in the end, we come to know that he wins the love of God. It is only his innate goodness that makes him honourable in the eyes of God. It is very obvious in the last words of the story. “You have rightly chosen “says God” for in my garden of paradise this little bird shall sing for ever more.” (Words: 181)
5. What kind of society does Oscar Wilde demand in “The Happy Prince?”
Answer: Oscar Wilde through this short story wants to give the message that the real purpose of a man’s creation in this world is to serve humanity. Man should be ready to serve others. This is what can make God happy. Through this fairy tale, the writer depicts before us a situation of a prince whose statue was fixed on a tall column high above the city after his death but he came to know the misery of his people. He began to repent because he could not help them when he was alive. He wept and wanted to help them. Luckily, a swallow came to seek protection under his feet. The statue requested the swallow to help him in helping the miserable people. So, the statue sacrificed his sapphire, ruby and gold to help the people.
But the statue became ugly. The swallow also died. Mayor of the city and his councilors decided to melt the statue in a furnace. Later, they threw it on a dust heap. The dead swallow was also lying there. Both the statue and dead swallow were useless things in the eyes of people but they were the most precious things in the eyes of God. (Words: 201)