Class 9 English Notes Chapter 5 (The Happy Prince) – Moments Supplimentary Reader Book

Alright students, let's focus on Chapter 5, 'The Happy Prince' from your Moments textbook. This story by Oscar Wilde is not just a simple tale; it carries deep meaning and is important for understanding themes like compassion, sacrifice, and social inequality, which can be relevant for your exams.

Here are the detailed notes for your preparation:

Chapter 5: The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde

1. Introduction:
'The Happy Prince' is a poignant fairy tale that contrasts the outward beauty and supposed happiness of a statue with the hidden misery and suffering within the city it overlooks. It tells the story of a statue and a little swallow who work together to alleviate the suffering of the poor.

2. Characters:

• The Statue of the Happy Prince:

  • Once a real prince who lived in the Palace of Sans-Souci (meaning "without worry"), shielded from the sorrows of the world.
  • As a statue, he is placed high above the city, covered in fine gold leaf, with sapphires for eyes and a large ruby on his sword-hilt.
  • Despite his glittering appearance, the statue develops a leaden heart that feels the pain and suffering of the city's poor.
  • He weeps upon seeing the misery, and his tears fall on the Swallow.
  • He sacrifices his beauty (ruby, sapphires, gold leaf) piece by piece to help those in need, becoming dull and grey.
  • Symbolizes true compassion and the idea that inner worth is more valuable than outward appearance. His lead heart represents genuine empathy.

• The Little Swallow:

  • A migratory bird on his way to Egypt for the winter to join his friends.
  • Initially stops only for a night's rest at the statue's feet.
  • Touched by the Prince's tears and compassion, he agrees to postpone his journey to act as the Prince's messenger.
  • Delivers the ruby to the poor seamstress, a sapphire to the struggling young playwright, and the other sapphire to the little matchgirl.
  • Develops deep affection and loyalty towards the Prince.
  • Stays with the blind Prince even as winter arrives, eventually dying from the cold at the statue's feet.
  • Symbolizes sacrifice, loyalty, love, and selfless service.

• Minor Characters (Representing Suffering):

  • The Seamstress: Poor, working hard, her son is sick with fever and asking for oranges. Receives the ruby.
  • The Young Playwright: Talented but cold and hungry, unable to finish his play. Receives a sapphire.
  • The Little Matchgirl: Crying because her matches fell into the gutter and are spoiled; fears her father will beat her. Receives the other sapphire.
  • The Poor and Starving Children: Seen by the Swallow huddled under a bridge, highlighting widespread poverty. Receive the gold leaf.

• The Mayor and Town Councillors:

  • Represent the superficiality, vanity, and indifference of the ruling class.
  • Admire the statue when it's beautiful but deem it "shabby" and useless once it loses its gold and jewels.
  • Decide to melt the statue down. They argue over who should be depicted in the new statue, showing their self-importance.
  • Fail to recognize the statue's true worth or the significance of the lead heart that won't melt.

• God and the Angel:

  • Appear at the end to provide a divine perspective and resolution.
  • God asks the Angel to bring the two most precious things from the city.
  • The Angel brings the lead heart and the dead swallow.
  • God validates their worth, declaring they will live forever in His paradise, signifying that true value lies in compassion and sacrifice, recognized by divinity even if ignored by humans.

3. Plot Summary:

• A Swallow, migrating late to Egypt, rests beneath the statue of the Happy Prince.
• He is surprised by 'rain' (the Prince's tears) on a clear night.
• The Prince explains his sorrow at seeing the city's misery, which he never knew when alive.
• He persuades the Swallow to delay his journey and deliver his ruby to a poor seamstress with a sick son.
• The Swallow agrees and feels warm despite the cold, a result of his good deed.
• The Prince then asks the Swallow to take one sapphire eye to a cold, hungry playwright. The Swallow does so.
• Next, the Prince asks the Swallow to take the other sapphire eye to a crying matchgirl. The Prince is now blind.
• The Swallow, moved by love and pity, decides to stay with the blind Prince forever, abandoning his trip to Egypt.
• He flies over the city, reporting the suffering he sees (starving children, beggars).
• The Prince instructs the Swallow to peel off all his gold leaf and distribute it to the poor.
• Winter sets in; the Swallow grows weaker from the cold but stays by the Prince's side, telling him stories of Egypt.
• Knowing he is dying, the Swallow kisses the Prince and falls dead at his feet.
• At that moment, the Prince's lead heart breaks in two.
• The Mayor and Councillors, seeing the now dull statue, order it to be melted down.
• The lead heart does not melt and is thrown on a dust heap beside the dead Swallow.
• God sends an Angel to bring the two most precious things from the city: the broken lead heart and the dead bird.
• God declares they are rightly chosen and welcomes them into Paradise.

4. Themes:

• Compassion and Empathy: The core theme; the Prince's ability to feel for others despite being a statue, and the Swallow's growing empathy.
• Sacrifice: Both the Prince (giving away his beauty and 'sight') and the Swallow (giving up his journey, warmth, and ultimately his life) make significant sacrifices.
• Social Inequality and Poverty: The stark contrast between the rich (Mayor, Councillors, the Prince's past life) and the extreme poverty of the citizens (seamstress, playwright, matchgirl, children).
• Inner Beauty vs. Outer Appearance: The statue is most valuable and 'happy' not when covered in gold and jewels, but when it sacrifices these for others, even though it becomes outwardly 'shabby'. True worth lies within (the lead heart).
• Love and Loyalty: The deep bond that forms between the Prince and the Swallow, culminating in the Swallow's ultimate act of loyalty.
• Critique of Authority and Society: The story criticizes the indifference and vanity of those in power (Mayor, Councillors) who value appearances over substance and ignore the suffering around them.
• Redemption and Divine Reward: The final scene offers a sense of justice and redemption, where the selfless actions of the Prince and Swallow are recognized and rewarded by God.

5. Symbolism:

• Gold Leaf, Ruby, Sapphires: Represent material wealth and superficial beauty, which are ultimately meaningless unless used for good.
• Lead Heart: Symbolizes true compassion, inner worth, and love that endures even death and destruction. It cannot be destroyed by fire (human judgment/processes).
• The Swallow: Represents selfless service, loyalty, and the messenger of compassion.
• Winter/Cold: Symbolizes hardship, indifference, and death.
• Egypt: Represents warmth, life, instinctual desires (which the Swallow sacrifices).
• Blindness: The Prince's physical blindness signifies deeper insight into suffering and his complete selflessness.

6. Literary Style:

• Written as a fairy tale but with adult themes.
• Use of personification (talking statue and swallow).
• Rich imagery and descriptive language.
• Sentimental and poignant tone.
• Contains elements of social commentary and allegory.

7. Key Message for Exams:
Understand that true happiness and value come from compassion, empathy, and selfless service to others, not from material wealth or outward appearances. Society often fails to recognize true worth, but acts of kindness and sacrifice hold eternal value.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Why was the statue called the "Happy Prince" when he was alive?
   a) Because he ruled a prosperous kingdom.
   b) Because he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter.
   c) Because he always wore a smile.
   d) Because he distributed wealth among his subjects.

2. What was the first act of charity the Swallow performed for the Happy Prince?
   a) Took a sapphire to the playwright.
   b) Took the ruby from the sword-hilt to the seamstress.
   c) Gave gold leaf to the poor children.
   d) Took a sapphire to the matchgirl.

3. Why did the Swallow eventually decide not to go to Egypt?
   a) He lost his way.
   b) Winter came too early.
   c) He grew to love the Happy Prince and stayed to help him.
   d) His friends had already left without him.

4. What part of the statue could not be melted in the furnace?
   a) The sapphire eyes.
   b) The golden leaves.
   c) The leaden heart.
   d) The ruby from the sword-hilt.

5. Who did God declare were the two most precious things in the city?
   a) The Mayor and the chief Councillor.
   b) The golden statue and the ruby.
   c) The leaden heart and the dead Swallow.
   d) The playwright's script and the seamstress's embroidery.

6. What does the lead heart primarily symbolize in the story?
   a) The weight of the statue.
   b) The Prince's sadness and broken spirit.
   c) True compassion, empathy, and inner worth.
   d) The failure of the foundry's furnace.

7. The Mayor and the Town Councillors represent:
   a) The voice of the common people.
   b) Wisdom and good governance.
   c) Superficiality, vanity, and indifference to suffering.
   d) Patrons of art and beauty.

8. What literary device is most prominent in the characters of the Happy Prince and the Swallow?
   a) Metaphor
   b) Simile
   c) Personification
   d) Hyperbole

9. What caused the Happy Prince's lead heart to break?
   a) The extreme cold of the winter.
   b) The Mayor's order to pull the statue down.
   c) The death of the little Swallow.
   d) The realization that his gold was all gone.

10. What is the central theme contrasting the Prince's initial appearance with his later actions?
    a) The importance of art in society.
    b) The conflict between nature and industry.
    c) Inner beauty and compassion versus outward appearance and wealth.
    d) The inevitability of decay and death.

Answer Key:

1. b
2. b
3. c
4. c
5. c
6. c
7. c
8. c
9. c
10. c

Study these notes carefully. Focus on the characters' motivations, the sequence of events, the underlying themes, and the symbolism used by Oscar Wilde. Good luck with your preparation!