Oscar Wilde
The Happy Prince
Unabridged
22 minutes
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The story of 'The Happy Prince' has three major themes. Firstly it shows that apparent beauty is nothing and the real beauty is to bestow love and sacrifice. Secondly, it discusses that love and sacrifice are two saving forces. Thirdly, it shows that there is a large gap between rich and poor people the rulers and the masses. When the happy prince is alive he lives a happy life without sorrows, he is living a care free life but after his death he sees through a tall Colum that life has another view except happiness and that is helplessness poverty, hypocrisy and corruption of elite and ruling class. When a bird swallow comes and stays under the feet of prince he begs for his helps match girl, poor writer… The Happy Prince ' has been written in fairy tale mode through which he has exposed the exploitation, materialism and corruption of Victorian society. The Happy Prince is social satire prudence says that 'the truepurpose of satire is the modification of vices by correction'. It was first published in 1888 in the anthology The Happy Prince and Other Tales, which, in addition to its title story, also includes 'The Nightingale and the Rose', 'The Devoted Friend', 'The Selfish Giant' and 'The Remarkable Rocket'.
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