Class 9th Eng. Ch-5The Happy Prince Summary (Supplimentary) Q/A Theme, Message NCERT/CBSE Based

Ch-5

The Happy Prince -Oscar Wilde

   

 Introduction of the Author

Oscar Wilde was a multifaceted literary figure famous as an author, a playwright and a poet In late Victorian age. He was known for his brilliant wit and flamboyant style. He started his literary career just after completing his graduation from Oxford University. He published his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1891. He was a successful dramatist and known for his satirical comedies as Lady Windermere's Fan (1892), A Woman of No Importance (1893) An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). The last one was his most famous play. He died in utter poverty at the age of 46

Summary of the Chapter

Swallow and the Prince

It is a story with deep message about a prince who had lived a very happy life. He had never felt sorrow throughout his life. After his death, his beautiful statue was built and placed above a tall column, high above the city. It was decorated with gold and jewels. One night, a swallow, who was on his way to Egypt, stopped by the city and decided to rest for a night at the feet of the statue. However, when he was just going to sleep, some drops of water fell on him. The sky was clear that night, so the bird was surprised. When the bird looked up, he was surprised to see that the drops of water were actually the tears of prince's statue who was weeping. The astonished swallow asked the statue the reason for his sadness and the statue told him the story of his life. He was once a happy prince and knew no sorrow or problems in his life. But now as a statue set up above the tall column, he could witness the ugliness and grief of his city. That's why he was weeping. The swallow came to know that the statue's heart was made of lead.

Seamstress

The statue told the swallow that there was a poor seamstress in her room embroidering flowers on a satin gown for the Queen's maid of honour. In the same room, her little boy was lying in a corner suffering from fever and asking his mother to give him oranges. But his mother was too poor to give him anything but water. The statue requested the swallow to take out the ruby from his sword hilt and give it to the poor seamstress. At first, the swallow refused but when he saw the sad face of the statue, he agreed. He plucked out the great ruby from the prince's sword and flew to the seamstress. He laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman's thimble. Also, he flew round the bed and fanned the boy's forehead with his wings. The boy felt better and fell asleep. The swallow came back to the statue and told him all that he had done. He also remarked that he was feeling warm although it was actually quite cold. The prince told him that it was the warmth of good deed.

Swallow and the Young Writer

Next day, the swallow decided to leave for Egypt. He flew back to the statue and told him about his decision. The Happy Prince urged him to stay for one more night as he wanted to help a young playwright who was trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre.Due to severe cold he was unable to write further as there was no fire in the graze and he was hungry also. The swallow asked if he should take another ruby to this writer. The prince heaved a sigh and told him that he did not have any other ruby. So he urged the swallow to pluck out a sapphire from one of his eyes. The swallow refused to tear away his eye. But the prince was adamant and asked him to follow his command. The swallow had to pluck the prince's eye and fly to the young writer. He left the sapphire on the dried flowers on his table. The playwright became overjoyed. He thought that the sapphire was a gift from one of his fans.

Swallow and the Match Girl

The next day, the swallow again wanted to go to Egypt and returned to the statue to bid him goodbye. But the prince again stopped him from going away.

He told the swallow that a little matchgirl was weeping in the square below. Her matches had fallen in the gutter and were all spoiled. Her father would beat her if she did not take home some money. So the prince requested the swallow to pluck out the sapphire from his other eye and give it to that girl. The swallow could not refuse him, so he plucked the sapphire and flew swiftly to the matchgirl and placed it in her palm. The little girl became very happy and she ran home laughing.

The Swallow Acts as Eyes and Ears of the Prince

The swallow was much impressed by the generosity of the prince that she told him that he would never leave him. The next morning, the swallow sat on the prince's shoulder all day telling him the stories of other strange places. The prince listened to those wonderful tales and requested the swallow to fly over the city and report to him the misery he sees. So, the swallow flew over that great city. He saw the rich enjoying a luxurious life while the poor were hungry and helpless. He flew back to the prince and reported to him what he had seen. The prince made a humble request to the swallow to pluck the fine gold covering he had on the statue and distribute it among the poor and the hungry. The swallow did what was expected of him. Gradually, the gold foil was all spent and the statue looked unattractive, and dull. However, the poor children who got the gold were laughing and playing as they now were able to get food.

Death of the Swallow

Soon, harsh winters set in and it started to snow. Each day, the swallow grew colder but did not leave the prince. Soon, the swallow realised that he was going to die soon. He gathered his remaining strength and flew to the prince to bid him goodbye. The prince thought that the swallow was going to leave for Egypt, and he told him that he loved him. But the swallow told him that he was going to die and fell down to death at his feet. At that moment, suddenly a cracking sound was heard inside the statue. The lead heart of the statue had broken.

Statue Removed

The next morning, the Mayor of the city along with other town councilors happened to pass the statue. He was shocked to see the withered look of the statue. He noticed that the gold, ruby and sapphires had been taken away from it. He was even more shocked to find a dead bird at its feet. As now the statue looked very unattractive, the Mayor ordered to pull it down and melt it. However, they couldn't melt the happy prince's lead heart. It was thrown away in a garbage heap where the dead swallow also lay.

One day, God sent one of His Angels to the city for bringing two most precious things from there. The Angel chose the broken heart and the dead swallow. Pleased with the Angel's choice, God announced that in his garden of Paradise the little bird would sing for ever more and in his city of gold the Happy Prince would praise him.

Ch-4 The Kingdom Of Fools

Summary 

http://englishscholarhubclgautam.blogspot.com/2024/03/class-9th-eng-ch-4the-kingdom-of-fools.html

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Ch-3 Ishwaran The Storyteller 

http://englishscholarhubclgautam.blogspot.com/2024/03/class-9th-eng-ch-3-ishwaran-storyteller.html

Ch-2 The Adventures of Toto 

http://englishscholarhubclgautam.blogspot.com/2024/03/class-9th-eng-ch-2-the-adventures-of.html

Ch-1 The Lost Child- Summary 

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.https://englishscholarhubclgautam.blogspot.com/2024/03/class-9th-eng-ch-1-lost-child-by-mulk_13.html

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Ch-1 The Lost Child Q/A

https://englishscholarhubclgautam.blogspot.com/2024/03/class-9th-eng-ch-1-lost-child-by-mulk.html