Happy Prince

The Happy Prince is a titular protagonist in children's short story "The Happy Prince" from Oscar Wilde's collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales.
He is a beautiful statue modelled after a young prince who lived in riches of the Palace of Sans-Sauci and was known for being happy all the time. His body is covered in golden leaves and has two sapphires for eyes and a red ruby on s sword-hilt. As a statue, he became very sad as he could see the sorrows the poor face in the outside world. One night, he meets a Swallow whom he asks to become his messanger. For following four days, the Happy Prince asks the Swallow to tako off his body parts and bring them to the poor. When winter comes, The Happy Prince's leaden hearth breaks in half due to sever cold. It is brought to Heaven by one of the God's angels.
== History ==
While he was a human, the Happy Prince lived in the Palace of Sans-Sauci. He never knew what it means to be sorrow, as sorrow "was not allowed to enter." The Happy Prince would play and dance. He never wondered what lies beyond walls of his home.
=== "The Happy Prince" ===
After the Prince’s death, a statue of him with a leaden hearth was made. Its body was covered in golden leaves, had two sapphires for eyes and a large red ruby on sword-hilt. The statue is very much admired by the townsfolk, who see him as a beautiful happy figure.
But the Happy Prince isn’t happy. On his stand, he is now able to see the sorrows of the poor people. One night, s Swallow stops underneath the statue. The Happy Prince cries because he is looking at seamstress and her son. Her son is crying because he is ill and wants oranges, but she is too poor to afford them. The Happy Prince’s tears fall onto Swallow who looks up and sees The Happy Prince’s face covered in tears. The Happy Prince tells him about the reason for his sadness and asks him to stay for a night and be his messenger. At first, the Swallow doesn’t want to stay as he wants to see beauties of Egypt, but he agrees after seeing just how sad the Happy prince is. He plucks out the red ruby and brings it to the seamstress, who fell asleep. He also cools the boy down by flapping his wings, enabling him to fall asleep.
The next night, The Happy Prince once again asks the Swallow to stay. He doesn’t want to because he wants to see beauties of Egypt. The Prince tells him how he sees a writer who cannot finish his play because he is too cold. He tells the Swallow to pluck out one of his eyes and take it to the writer. The Swallow cries that he doesn’t want to pluck out the Prince’s eye. Nevertheless, due to Prince’s insistence, he does it anyway.
The next night, The Happy Prince once again asks the Swallow to stay. He doesn’t want to because it is winter and he must go to the warm land of Egypt. The Prince tells him about a match-girl whose matches have fallen and got spoiled. If she doesn’t bring some money home, her father will beat her. The Happy Prince asks the Swallow to pluck out his other eye and bring it to her. At, first, the Swallow refuses because he doesn’t want to leave the Prince blind, but due to Prince’s insistence, he does it anyway. After returning to the Happy Prince, the Swallow tells him that he will always stay with him because he is now blind. The Happy Prince, knowing the Swallow will die if he doesn’t go to Egypt, tells him not to but the Swallow reiterates that he will stay always.
The next day, The Prince tells the Swallow to fly around the city and tell him what he sees. After he returned, the Swallow told him of the various suffering of the poor. The Happy Prince asks him to take off his golden leaves and distribute them to the poor. The Swallow does so. Soon, the snow falls, and it becomes severely cold. The Swallow was no longer able to survive at such weather. He comes to the Prince and gives him a kiss before dying. After the Swallow dies, the Prince’s leaden heart breaks in half due to hard frost.
The next day, the Mayor and the Town Councilors looked at the statue of the Happy Prince and were disgusted by its appearance without any ornaments. After complaining that the statue now looks like a beggar, they decide to melt it and raise a new statue. During melting, it is discovered that the leaden hearth cannot melt so it was thrown away instead. In Heaven, God sends an angel to bring Him two most precious things from the city. The Angel brings the leaden hearth and the dead Swallow. God tells him that he chose correctly and that in Heaven, the Swallow will always sing and the Happy Prince will always praise Him.
== Personality ==
While he was human, The Happy Prince was a carefree person. He enjoyed his life in a palace and he never thought about what might be happening outside of it. He enjoyed pleasure of playing and dancing. He didn't understand the difference between pleasure and happiness and he believed his experience of pleasure are feeling of happiness. He also didn't know what sorrow is as he never encountered it in his life.
After becoming a statue, The Happy Prince became more insightful. Observing other people, he learned the meaning of sorrow. He also gained understanding of difference between pleasure and happiness and realized he was never trully happy as a human. The Happy Prince is shown to be empathetic and selfless person. He always feels sorry for those who are suffering and wants to help them in any way he can. He is shown to be willing to get harm inflicted upon him if that means someone could be helped. An example is his willingness to get his eyes plucked out and be left blind.
Category:Aristocrats
Category:Big Good
Category:Deceased
Category:Book Heroes
Category:Hope Bringers
Category:Genderless
Category:Martyr
Category:Nameless
Category:Neutral Good
Category:Non-Action
Category:Possessed Objects
Category:Saved Souls
Category:Selfless
Category:Successful
Category:Suicidal
Category:Sympathetic
Category:Titular
Category:Wealthy
Category:Determinators