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304th out of 2,744 books
—
4,932 voters
The Happy Prince
by
Oscar Wilde
Do your students enjoy a good laugh? Do they like to be scared? Or do they just like a book with a happy ending? No matter what their taste, our Creative Short Stories series has the answer.
We've taken some of the world's best stories from dark, musty anthologies and brought them into the light, giving them the individual attention they deserve. Each book in the series has
...moreHardcover, 32 pages
Published
January 1st 1995
by Dutton Books
(first published 1888)
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Totally rewritten and expanded from the original short and succinct review in the light of some personally derogatory comments concerning my even daring to mention Wilde's anti-semitism. Nov. 18th, 2011
I've always liked Oscar Wilde's prose, if not his drama, but I thought this was an exercise in hypocrisy, or perhaps it was just Oscar Wilde, locked out of the gates of the wealthy aristocracy, just venting his spleen on them. You would think a man who lost everything because of the prejudice agai...more
I've always liked Oscar Wilde's prose, if not his drama, but I thought this was an exercise in hypocrisy, or perhaps it was just Oscar Wilde, locked out of the gates of the wealthy aristocracy, just venting his spleen on them. You would think a man who lost everything because of the prejudice agai...more
Written for children, between 1882-1891, these beautiful
stories of delicate charm are for literate adults who alone
can perceive the irony and awareness of life's cruelties.
A poetic wistfulness also mingles with the artless musical
imagery. One critic says they remind him of Fragonard and Rossetti. Another is impressed by the simplicity of Biblical language.
Reviewing the fables a rather hysterical GR slams OW for
anti-semitism because of a perfunctory aside 100 years before
Political Correctness. S...more
stories of delicate charm are for literate adults who alone
can perceive the irony and awareness of life's cruelties.
A poetic wistfulness also mingles with the artless musical
imagery. One critic says they remind him of Fragonard and Rossetti. Another is impressed by the simplicity of Biblical language.
Reviewing the fables a rather hysterical GR slams OW for
anti-semitism because of a perfunctory aside 100 years before
Political Correctness. S...more
Oscar Wilde is sure an interesting character. For if the biography Frank Harris wrote about him is accurate and The Happy Prince was written before 1888. Then it seems "the happy prince" is completely out of character with Oscar. Supposedly during this time, Oscar Wilde, cared only for pleasure, beauty and fame, he was popular with the aristocrats, for he cared nothing for the poor. All that mattered was self-indulgence. Yet in such a state he wrote "The Happy Prince"? interesting. It would make...more
2 likes · like · see review
I was drawn to this book as I recognised the illustrator, Jane Ray, from another book, The King of Capri. I find the colour, detail and depiction of city life long ago in the illustrations really appealing. The story is a fairy tale originally written by Oscar Wilde, about a statue of a prince and the swallow that befriends him.
The book tells the story of a golden, jewelled statue that sits on a tall column overlooking the city. Though happy in life, as a statue the prince sees all the misery in...more
The book tells the story of a golden, jewelled statue that sits on a tall column overlooking the city. Though happy in life, as a statue the prince sees all the misery in...more
This book is about the friendship between a swallow and a statue of a Happy Prince. The Happy Prince truly was just that- happy- in life because he lead a sheltered existence. "My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness." This distinction foreshadows the story's intent to outline for us a deeper meaning in happiness. In life, the Prince was shielded from all misery. He passed, and was immortalized in the statue, which looked down upon the city.
We m...more
We m...more
This review is for the picture book abridgment (by Jane Ray) of Oscar Wilde's original tale. This is the story of a little swallow who's destiny is changed the moment he lands to rest for a moment on a golden statue. Soon the swallow discovers that the statue is crying. He is crying for all the pain and suffering he sees from his high up vantage point. In life he had been a happy and carefree prince who knew nothing of these things. And so now he is devastated by the truth of how vast human suff...more
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This story follows the friendship between the Happy Prince and a Swallow. The Happy Prince as a boy lived in complete luxury and happiness, unaware of the suffering outside his palace walls. The swallow by chance meets the prince after deciding not to migrate yet, because of his love of a reed. Upon meeting the bird the Prince tells the Swallow his story and of his sorrow for the suffering he now sees in his city. The Prince asks the Swallow to help different people in need by stripping away val...more
A very, very, awesome book. The first story, "The Happy Prince", resembles some Chinese legend I know: about a monkey general/god who died then his people built a gold statue to honor him. This story and Wilde's story are pretty much the same. The gold statue watches the poor condition of the village and later asks a bird to peel the gold layers on his body one by one. There's just a little difference. Well, a clear difference, surely--Wilde has a prince and the Chinese a monkey general/god. Oh,...more
Before I read this story, when I saw the title of this book, I felt like it would be happy ending. Since I was young, I've hated sad ending. However, after I read this book, it made me cry. As the prince gave his all to the poor people even though he knew that he would be ruined. If we apply this story to our society, there would be no people like him. In my point of view, all mankind are selfish; we have an eye for the main chance. we have to change their mindset and then put their mindset into...more
Sleeping on my friend's couch, having come to school too early for my own room to be open, she offered me her childhood copy of "The Happy Prince and Other Stories" to further my on-going search for pieces to record for my research project. I hadn't known that Oscar Wilde wrote children's stories, much less these delightfully crafted and imaginative parables.
Much like Warner Brother's cartoons, Oscar Wilde's fairy tales have value for both children and the adults who read to them (I found value...more
Much like Warner Brother's cartoons, Oscar Wilde's fairy tales have value for both children and the adults who read to them (I found value...more
The three-star rating is a rough average, as the amount to which I enjoyed each of these stories varies. My favourites - "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Fisherman and His Soul", and "The Birthday of the Infanta" - made my heart swell and twist in lovely ways. Others, like "The Happy Prince" and "The Young King" were not unpleasant to read, but in the end I didn't see much purpose to them beyond vaguely Christian morality tales.
All the stories have beautiful descriptions, sometimes bordering...more
All the stories have beautiful descriptions, sometimes bordering...more
"The Happy Prince" is a story that reminds me of the parables in the New Testament, there are so many layers and depending on the reader's or listener's frame of mind they will either hear just a simple story or see a deep meaning embedded into the story.
The prince is a statue that overlooks the city and sees the poor and the rich and his heart aches to help the poor that he did not help when he was flesh and bone, so he implores a sparrow to help him. Through the sparrow and the prince the poor...more
The prince is a statue that overlooks the city and sees the poor and the rich and his heart aches to help the poor that he did not help when he was flesh and bone, so he implores a sparrow to help him. Through the sparrow and the prince the poor...more
This was an apt story to read today. It has the same themes of empathy, sharing and love as The Giving Tree, but executed in a much more successful way, in my opinion. It's a shame that I recently entered one of my own picture book manuscripts with this theme in a competition, and the judge's comments back were mainly that the theme was cliched. Sure, it has been covered before, but does that mean topics about love, mutual understanding and a lack of greed should not be covered any more? Sure, I...more
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This was a sad story about a boy/statue who gives all he has to make the people of his city happy. In the end he gives all he had, and then the people are unappreciative of his statue once all the jewels and gold have been removed, so they melt down the statue until only the boy's lead heart remains, which for some reason cannot be melted down.
The whole story is about the boy giving what he had to make others happy. He sacrificed what he had in order that others wouldn't go hungry, and the whole...more
The whole story is about the boy giving what he had to make others happy. He sacrificed what he had in order that others wouldn't go hungry, and the whole...more
It was ironical story that I had ever read before!!!
Different from the title, the Happy Prince was not happy at all.
The most impressive scene in the book of 'the Happy Prince' was
Swallow did not leave the Happy prince alone when he lost all gold and jewelries he had.
It made me to think about altruistic life.
The little Swallow's altruistic life for the Happy prince and the Happy prince's sacrificial life for
the poor will make you to think a lot.
I want to recommend this book for all of you who...more
Different from the title, the Happy Prince was not happy at all.
The most impressive scene in the book of 'the Happy Prince' was
Swallow did not leave the Happy prince alone when he lost all gold and jewelries he had.
It made me to think about altruistic life.
The little Swallow's altruistic life for the Happy prince and the Happy prince's sacrificial life for
the poor will make you to think a lot.
I want to recommend this book for all of you who...more
The version of The Happy Prince and Other Stories I read is a Penguin 60s and only has half the stories of the original collection: "The Happy Prince", "The Young King", "The Devoted Friend" and "The Model Millionaire." The longer collection also includes: "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Remarkable Rocket", "The Birthday of the Infanta", "The Star-Child" and "The Fisherman and His Soul." As I have not read these stories, my review won't include them except to say, I'm...more
Feb 20, 2012
Nicole Yncera
added it
This is the story about a prince who had got every thing in his life. He had not seen any sorrow in his life. He helped his people whatever he could.
the prince also left this world. People were very sad and unhappy. People made his statue in his memory. The statue was made up of lead and fixed with various jewels. Blue jewels were fixed in his eyes. The statue was kept over a pillar at the center of the town so that everybody could remember him.
the prince also left this world. People were very sad and unhappy. People made his statue in his memory. The statue was made up of lead and fixed with various jewels. Blue jewels were fixed in his eyes. The statue was kept over a pillar at the center of the town so that everybody could remember him.
I read this as a child and was always moved to tears by the sad story of the swallow and the prince. I loved this story and have read it for my children.
Have to say I am genuinely surprised at some of the other reviews for this book that end up covering feminism, homosexuality, antisemitism and who knows what else. What ever happened to enjoying a story for what it is rather than this incessant need to analyse and over complicate?
Have to say I am genuinely surprised at some of the other reviews for this book that end up covering feminism, homosexuality, antisemitism and who knows what else. What ever happened to enjoying a story for what it is rather than this incessant need to analyse and over complicate?
The story emphasize on the delicate brain of a child but can also be existing of an adult and teenager like me but what makes me wonder is that was their any moral learning for a kid? May be no because Oscar Wilde said "Their are no moral or immoral story".
For child or adult this story will please both thou the story is rather more like mind free or predictable but yet it will bring a huge smile on your face.
For child or adult this story will please both thou the story is rather more like mind free or predictable but yet it will bring a huge smile on your face.
The feeling of overwhelming surprise and approval for the past me when I remember that I actually read this like seven or eight years ago and liked it. I was an awesome kid. I liked Oscar Wilde when I still had all of my primary teeth. How awesome am I? Sure I had no clue I was reading Oscar Wilde back then, and I'm pretty sure we were never told anything about that, but still, I was an awesome kid.
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The Happy Prince is a great fairytale. Perhaps a bit too heavy handed in this day and age to work as a morality tale, though I'm sure that was its intention. Greed, loyalty, loss, value, all nicely portrayed in a lovely little story about a talking bird and his new friend, the statue. Even though I call it a fairytale and a "little" story, it still manages to push buttons and pull heatstrings.
Super triste. Esta historia la leí varias veces cuando estaba pequeñuelo, de unos ocho o nueve años. Trata de una imponente estatua, bella y rica en joyas y oro que se alza en medio de una ciudad llena de bullicio y por aqui y por alla de tristeza. El príncipe busca ayudar a los que lo necesitan y haciéndose amigo de una golondrina se juntan para conseguirlo.
Never seen such a colorful variety of short stories in a single book. Some were modern, others were fairy-tales while some could be for children. I shall never forget "The Fisherman & His Soul". That is the reasons I cannot get myself to pen to paper. When you read such compelling narration, you are like: "There's no way on earth that I can write like this".
Entranced me at once. "The picture of Dorian Gray" was the first Oscar Wilde book i read and i loved its cynicism and wit. Reading this short story surprised me; I didn't know Wilde wrote such imaginative short stories that contained so much childish innocence with a moralistic undertone. His allegorical stories remind me of C.S. Lewis' writings.
Of the many pieces of children's literature that emerged from these years, Wilde was only mediocre in my opinion and it appears aimed more at adults. His underlying messages are a bit high-brow and while theoretically aimed at undermining social class system, they end up painting more elaborate stereotypes. It is however still considered a classic.
''The Happy Prince'' was a story which was prescribed in my school syllabus, may be in 3rd standard but even to this day I remember the story clearly! The story of the ''Happy Prince'' kindled the emotional instincts in me and the morals that it taught was secondary for me. I personally believe that everyone should read this story.
The irony of it all lays in the title and it makes you laugh at yourself for thinking you'd read about a happy prince. The prince notices the sufferings of other people and decides to help them by giving away his processions. The sparrow helped him a lot into delivering these gestures and stuck with him throughout.
So, was he really a "happy prince", well we could call him the once was happy prince and the gentle sparrow who befriended and regardless of his situation stuck with him till death. I guess if some who sit upon their golden thrones were to view the hardship around them they wont be so "happy" either.
Read this when I was a child in English and loved it. Read it recently again in French and had tears pouring down my face pretty much all the way through. It is incredibly moving and profound and, unfortunately still completely relevant with its depiction of self-righteous meddling bureaucrats.
Este fue uno de los primeros libros que leí y fue tan hermoso, recuerdo cada y una de sus palabras y cada vez que recuerdo me dan ganas de llorar, realmente me enseño lo que era la amistad a mis 8 años de edad, así que adoro este libro me trae recuerdos hermosos.
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Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, and a plentitude of aphorisms, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being E...more
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“Dear Prince, I must leave you, but I will never forget you, and next spring I will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of those you have given away. The ruby shall be redder than a red rose, and the sapphire shall be as blue as the great sea.”
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“Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in the marketplace. It may not be purchased of the merchants, for can it be weighed out in the balance for gold.”
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11 people liked it
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Jun 09, 2013 09:57am
And what is that supposed to mean?
Jun 09, 2013 09:59am