The Happy Prince and Other Tales
Oscar Wilde
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
Five literary fairy tales about generosity, vanity, friendship, poverty, and the cost of seeing other people's suffering.
Read our takeA House of Pomegranates
Oscar Wilde
A House of Pomegranates
by Oscar Wilde
Four darker literary fairy tales about sacrifice, beauty, art, poverty, and the harm done when one life is valued above another.
- 1891
- Atmospheric
- lyrical
- funny
- voice-driven
About Oscar Wilde
The story, briefly
Spoiler-freeA House of Pomegranates contains 'The Young King,' 'The Birthday of the Infanta,' 'The Fisherman and His Soul,' and 'The Star-Child.' These stories are more elaborate and severe than the earlier Happy Prince collection. Their beautiful objects and royal settings do not soften their subjects: exploited labor, humiliation, divided desire, and cruelty learned through privilege.
The story, in more detail
Wilde dedicated the book to his wife, Constance Wilde. Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon designed and illustrated the original volume as an art object, making its physical form part of its argument about beauty.
The tales repeatedly make a privileged character see the people hidden behind luxury. Recognition does not always arrive in time, and love does not automatically repair the damage.
The stories
Four independent tales move through a coronation, a Spanish court entertainment, a fisherman's bargain with his soul, and a beautiful child who rejects his poor mother.
The Birthday of the Infanta is the harshest story; The Young King gives the clearest account of labor concealed inside beautiful goods.
Why we recommend it
Why it matters
It joins Wilde's decorative style to direct criticism of wealth and cruelty.
Where it fits
Read The Happy Prince first; this collection is denser and less consoling.
What this book explores
Timeline
1891
James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Company published A House of Pomegranates in 1891.
Modern editions
Editors continue to publish the work alone and in collections; introductions and notes explain the relevant performance or textual history.
Book editions
Hardcover
- Hardcover
- James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Company
- 1891
Reader reviews
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Oscar Wilde
The Soul of Man under Socialism
An essay arguing that poverty should be ended by changing property relations, not managed through charity, so each person can develop freely.
Read our takeA House of Pomegranates: frequently asked questions
What is A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde about?
A House of Pomegranates contains 'The Young King,' 'The Birthday of the Infanta,' 'The Fisherman and His Soul,' and 'The Star-Child.' These stories are more elaborate and severe than the earlier Happy Prince collection. Their beautiful objects and royal settings do not soften their subjects: exploited labor, humiliation, divided desire, and cruelty learned through privilege.
When was A House of Pomegranates published?
James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Company published A House of Pomegranates in 1891.
Should I read A House of Pomegranates first?
Usually not. Start with The Importance of Being Earnest for comedy, The Picture of Dorian Gray for fiction, or The Happy Prince and Other Tales for short stories, then return to A House of Pomegranates.