the happy prince

  • Why do the courtiers call the prince “The Happy Prince”? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?
    When he was alive, the prince lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter, so he lived a life of constant joy and was called the “Happy Prince”. However, as a statue on a high pedestal, he is no longer happy because he can now see the ugliness and misery of the city all around him.
  • Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’s house?
    The prince sends a ruby because the seamstress is very poor and her son is ill with fever, asking for oranges she cannot afford. The swallow places the ruby on the table and gently fans the boys forehead with its wings to make him feel cool and fall asleep.
  • For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
    He sends the first sapphire to a young playwright who is too cold and hungry to finish his play. He sends the second to a match-girl who accidentally dropped her matches in a gutter; she is crying because her father will beat her if she brings no money home.
  • What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
    The swallow sees a sharp contrast: the rich making merry in their beautiful houses while beggars sit at the gates. He also sees hungry children in dark lanes and two little boys huddling under a bridge to stay warm.
  • Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
    After the prince gave away his sapphire eyes to help others, he became completely blind. The swallow was so touched by the prince’s kindness and sacrifice that he decided to stay and be his “eyes” forever rather than joining his friends in Egypt.
  • What are the “two precious things” mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
    The two precious things are the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow. They are precious because they were selfless and sacrificed everything to bring happiness to the poor. In the end, God chooses them to live forever in His garden of Paradise.
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Thematic Questions

  • What is the moral of the story?
    The story teaches that true happiness comes from selfless sacrifice and helping those in need, not from outward beauty or wealth. It highlights that compassion can endear us to God.
  • Why did the lead heart break into two?
    When the swallow died at the feet of the prince, a curious cracking sound was heard. The prince’s leaden heart snapped in two because of the intense grief of losing his dear friend and

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