Indy Week: The Happy Prince Is a Dark and Passionate Tribute to the Last Days of Oscar Wilde
British actor Rupert Everett writes, directs, and stars in The Happy Prince, a grim portrait of literary bon vivant Oscar Wilde. The darkness is deliberate. Everett chooses to set his story in the ...
The Happy Prince Is a Dark and Passionate Tribute to the Last Days of Oscar Wilde
Read The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde -- full text free online. A gilded statue sacrifices his jewels to aid the poor, with a loyal swallow as his messenger. Includes free study guide with quiz questions.
It contains five stories that are highly popular among children and frequently read in schools: "The Happy Prince," "The Nightingale and the Rose," "The Selfish Giant," "The Devoted Friend," and " The Remarkable Rocket." The short stories are valued for their morals, and have been made into animated films.
“Why can’t you be like the Happy Prince?” asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. “The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything.” “I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy,” muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.
Of Oscar Wilde’s various short works for children, ‘The Happy Prince’ (1888) occupies a special place as his signature tale, and is perhaps Wilde’s definitive statement about the relationship between inner and outer beauty.
"The Happy Prince" is an interesting, sad look at the great poet and playwright Oscar Wilde at the end of his life, when he lived in poverty, declined health and social exile in France.