An Analysis of the Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilder
——The Happy Prince
Oscar Wilder is a prolific writer who has multiple identities that he is not only a novelist but also a poet as well as a playwright. He gained a considerable reputation as he made great contribution to the world literature by inheriting and innovate aesthetics viewpoint in his literary works. Based on his creation, he is regarded as the milestone in aestheticism. Though his novel and plays, like The Picture of Dorian Gray and Salomé, have always been analyzed and counted as typical examples for his view on aestheticism and art by literary critics, his fairy tales is more widely spread. His fairy tales are popular with both children and adults. The story can be simple or profound which depends on understandings of readers. One of his most famous fairy tales is The Happy Prince. Taking it as an example, following are four aspects I analyzed his works of fairy tales.
I. The Content and The Plot
The content of his fairy is rich and creative while the plot is dramatic and fascinating. The Happy Prince tells a story that in a late autumn a swallow meets the ornate statue of the "Happy Prince", who lived a pleasant life when he was alive, but now he sees the misery and sorrow of ordinary people. The statue asks the swallow to help those poor people with precious materials he is built with. At last, the swallow dies because of chillness and the statue is pulled of as he is worthless.
Wilder paves the way abundantly with rich backgrounds to highlight the figure of the swallow and the prince. It also lay a foundation for the plot development.
At the beginning, when the swallow appear, Wilder does not instantly step to the meeting with the Prince, instead, he narrates an experience which gives reads a primary picture of this bird. It is said that the Swallow have ever fallen love with the most attractive Reed, however, the Reed made no response to his love. Pitiful and gloomy, he left alone. If the whole story is a piece of music, this experience is the prelude. It gives a human emotion to the swallow which reflects that the Swallow is loving and emotional. He never conceal his love and brave to express it to the Reed though he is refused. Knowing this, we may realize why he agrees to be messenger of the Prince.
In terms of the Prince, the writer lets himself tell readers his past life which is comfortable and pleasant while now being a statue he sees the real life of poor people. The sharp contrast highlight the strong sympathy of the Prince for his people which is described in the next paragraphs. We sees that the Prince is kind and has a delicate heart that have a insight into society.
The two parts play a role of the basis of the story which makes the plot develop more naturally not abruptly. Except for that, the plot of the fairy is never insipid as the turning point always touch a string in one?s heart. It seems like a sheer wonderment that you may never imagine.
For example, the Swallow helps the Prince four times in total. Each time when
the Swallow comes back to see the Prince and states that he wants to leave for Egypt, readers think that he should go because of the coming winter, however, each time he is persuaded to stay by the Prince. That way of writing makes readers keep curious and focus on the content. Besides, the ending of the story is surprising and worth thinking. First it is sad to see that both the Prince and the Swallow dies tragically. While most of readers think it is the end and feel pitiful for them, the writer declares it is not the end by the appearance of God who grant the heart of the Prince and the Swallow are the most precious things in the city. In other words, it is an acknowledge of the value of love and kindness. Actually, the author intend to express a positive attitude to readers that showing love and kindness is always admiring.
II. The Greatness of the Language
The language is accurate,elaborate, exquisite and poetic, which reflects the beauty of art. In this story, the detailed description of scenery is beautiful which plunge readers into a wonderful picture. For example, “ He is wrapped in yellow linen, and embalmed with spices. Round his neck is a chain of pale green jade, and his hands are like withered leaves”. That is the Swallow?s description of the great King in the tomb in Egypt where he will live in during the cold winter. The author observes very meticulously and grasp main characters. In that sentence, there are three colors: yellow, pale, and green which give readers an impression that the King is noble but archaic. It also forms a colorful picture which makes the story more lively. Besides, the author uses simile: he compares the hands of the mummy to withered leaves. It is appropriate and imaginable. When we we think about mummies, it is ancient and stiff which is very similar with withered leaves that is also dry and wrinkled. There are enormous examples like this which make the story more vivid and interesting not just narrating.
Another typical example which reflects the writer?s artistic talent on language is “ There is no Mystery so great as Misery.” In this sentence, “Mystery” and “Misery” forms an alliteration as well as an embraced rhyme. Using two types of rhymes, Wilder?s mastering of the language has reached a pinnacle point. Though this simple sentence has only 8 words but it expresses clearly and concisely which gives readers a deep impression. It is a series of musical words that has a great sense of rhythm. Furthermore, it is also the core expression of the host the Prince that he cares much about his people and feels sad about the misery in their lives. Nothing can be more important than that.
III. The Backgrounds and the Theme
In the story, we can infer that the environment of the city relates to the era where Wilder lives. It is a mirror and reference of reality to some extent. For example,“ It is a ridiculous attachment. She has no money, and far too many relations.” We can know that his fellows does not approve the Swallow?s pursuit of the Reed but the reason is a little bit strange. It is about money and benefits. The Swallow can obtain nothing but take care of the Reed and get a burden from her relations. In other swallow?s eyes, the Swallow?s love is blind and useless. Actually, love should be a simple matter between
two persons but now it becomes a treat business that calculates interests. It reflects the commercialism and materialism in the Victoria era. The development of economic gives people a value of wealth. Moreover, a serious problem is the wide gap between the rich and the poor. In the story, a poor old woman seamstress stays up late to embroider passion- flowers on a satin gown for a maid of the Queen and has no time and money to take care of his ill baby, however, in another place, the maid is watching the stars in sky and complaining about the laziness of the seamstress. It is also a reference of reality. There are two completely different world inside and outside palace. Poor people suffers from miserable life while nobles enjoy pleasant life. As the Prince says, “it is a palace of Sans-Souci where sorrow is not allowed. “Through the contrast, the author actually expresses his criticize on this unfair phenomenon and sympathy for poor people. What the Prince does proves that view.
Because of the total difference between the inside and outside of palace, the Prince extremely feels the suffering of people. His tears shows his sorrow and his sincere help shows his kindness. He distributes all to those who in need even his life at last. The author tries to conduct readers into a real world in an artistic way. Frankly, it is a tragic story but it never depressed readers but reminds them to pay attention to the world where they live in and people who they live with. As Lu Xun said, “a tragedy is to show people the destruction of valuable things.” In that case, in that fairy tale, we feel a sense of grief not merely because of the deaths of the Prince and the Swallow. The real reason is that they are the most kind and humanitarian but fewer people realize that . In other words, as the author wrote in end, officials tear down the statue and abandon its heart and the Swallow which are the most precious thing in the city in the God?s eyes. A good fairy can awaken the consciousness and let people think about what is good and what is evil. It is also the value of this story.
IV.The Views of Aestheticism
Wilder?s aesthetics viewpoints are not only in his novels and plays but also have clues in fairy tales. In “The Happy Prince”, we can also find the author?s art of beauty.
First, the word “beautiful” appears in the story for nine times: “1) He is as her lover;6) and when he looked up he found the sapphire lying on the withered violets;7) I?ll bring you two jewels in place of those you have ”
The word describes different people or things, including the Prince, the Reed, the palace, a maid in the palace, the decorations on the statue, and the rich?s houses. No matter whom the beauty belongs to, good or evil, the beauty itself is beautiful. Everyone can appreciate from his prospective, as Wilder said that it is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Those descriptions, on the one hand, is used to instantly underline the beauty of figures, on the other hand, is used to contrast. For example, the girl?s beauty and the seamstress?s toil, which stresses difference between
the comfortable life of the girl and the hard life of the woman. It stimulates reader?s nerve.
However, knowing the beauty has different kinds of forms, we may should find out what is the most valuable and meaningful in this story. Actually it is told by the author in the end: the sympathy of the Prince and the love of the Swallow. The Happy Prince never knows what sorrow is until he stands in the center of the city as a statue. He began to recognize the world with a benevolent heart. The heart is snapped into two at last but even fire can not melt it. The reason is that it is filled with his care and love for his people. It is powerful. As the famous poet John Keats said, ?Beauty is truth, truth beauty.” It is valid in this story. Real beauty is full of real emotions but not ostensible and void praises. The Prince?s sympathy for his people is true love which is eternal and indestructible. Even Wilder himself stated that when he was in prison, he had a heart which was as hard as a stone and he just pursued pleasure but at that moment his heart was completely broken. He was filled with sympathy which he finally understood that sympathy was the greatest and the most beautiful thing in the world. Although he said these words nearly ten years after The Happy Prince was published, it is still an accurate explanation of the theme of the story.
In terms of the Swallow, he is kind and better than human. Though two rule boys ever throws stones to him, he still appeases his grievance and helps another little boy. Moreover, he even contributes his life to help prince and his people. There are two reasons. One is his love for the Prince and the other is that he obtains happiness form helping others. It is likely that the author also tried to sarcasm and criticize the rich and selfish people. They are even inferior to an animal in nature. In this case, we may conclude that the author thinks nature is more beautiful than human world.
Love is also a symbol of beauty. In terms of the love between the Prince and the Swallow, it is sheer love. Actually, the Swallow loves the Reed before he meets the prince but it ends up with Reed?s refusal and his leaving. In the contrast, the love between the Swallow and the Prince is forever and more sincere. In the end, the Swallow does not leave the Prince even it is becoming colder and colder because he loves him too much. Also the Prince asks him to kiss his lips as he dearly loves the Swallow too. That reminds me of a famous poem of Percy Bysshe Shelley, Love’s Philosophy. In the eyes of Shelly, a worthful truth of love is kiss as he wrote “What are all kissings worth, if thou kiss not me.” Kissing is a romantic expression of the tender and complete love. That is a explanation why the Prince ask the Swallow to kiss him. The author expresses his romanticism from the perspective of the main character, the Prince. The love is beautiful, pure and unconditional. Maybe that is the ideal love in the author?s mind. That We can notice that they are both males while the Reed, the Swallow?s ex-lover, is a female. It is probably a reflection of homosexuality in Wilder??s life. The love is true and spiritually forever but the end in reality is not good, which seemingly means the obstacles he faced in life.
Wilder?s fairy tales seems like a dream, forming a wonderful and atmosphere for readers, whether adults or children can find what he want and learn what is good. The Happy Prince, though is a little tragic, giving readers a positive attitude and reminds
people to care about the real life and other people around you. All that I have understand is only a tip of iceberg and it still needs more time and energy to analyze Wilder?s works further and learn more about his views of aestheticism.