A House of Pomegranates
Oscar Wilde
A House of Pomegranates
Four darker literary fairy tales about sacrifice, beauty, art, poverty, and the harm done when one life is valued above another.
Read our takeThe Happy Prince and Other Tales
Oscar Wilde
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
by Oscar Wilde
Five literary fairy tales about generosity, vanity, friendship, poverty, and the cost of seeing other people's suffering.
- 1888
- Atmospheric
- lyrical
- funny
- voice-driven
About Oscar Wilde
The story, briefly
Spoiler-freeThe Happy Prince and Other Tales contains five stories: 'The Happy Prince,' 'The Nightingale and the Rose,' 'The Selfish Giant,' 'The Devoted Friend,' and 'The Remarkable Rocket.' Wilde uses talking birds, statues, giants, gardens, and fireworks to tell adults and children how beauty can conceal suffering and how fine words can excuse selfish behavior.
The story, in more detail
The title story pairs a jeweled statue with a migrating swallow. From his high column, the Happy Prince can finally see the poverty hidden from him while he was alive, and he asks the swallow to carry away his gold and jewels.
The remaining tales do not repeat one lesson. Some reward love and generosity; others show sacrifice being ignored or friendship language being used to exploit a poorer person.
The stories
The collection has five independent fairy tales, each short enough to read alone.
Begin with 'The Happy Prince' and 'The Selfish Giant,' then read 'The Devoted Friend' for the sharpest example of Wilde turning a moral tale against the person who claims to tell its moral.
Why we recommend it
Why it matters
The apparent simplicity makes Wilde's social criticism unusually easy to see.
Where it fits
It is the best first Wilde book for readers who prefer short fiction to a play or novel.
What this book explores
Timeline
1888
David Nutt published The Happy Prince and Other Tales in 1888.
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
- David Nutt
- 1888
Reader reviews
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Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories
Comic and supernatural stories about murder as duty, a ghost who cannot frighten Americans, a secretless socialite, and a disputed Shakespeare portrait.
Read our takeThe Happy Prince and Other Tales: frequently asked questions
What is The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde about?
The Happy Prince and Other Tales contains five stories: 'The Happy Prince,' 'The Nightingale and the Rose,' 'The Selfish Giant,' 'The Devoted Friend,' and 'The Remarkable Rocket.' Wilde uses talking birds, statues, giants, gardens, and fireworks to tell adults and children how beauty can conceal suffering and how fine words can excuse selfish behavior.
When was The Happy Prince and Other Tales published?
David Nutt published The Happy Prince and Other Tales in 1888.
Should I read The Happy Prince and Other Tales first?
Yes. The Happy Prince and Other Tales is one of the clearest places to start with Oscar Wilde.