Give a Character Sketch of the Happy Prince, Swallow (Bird), Match girl, Seamstress, Writer, Mayor and Councillors from Class 9 English Moments Book Chapter 5 The happy Prince
Character Sketch of the Happy Prince
The Happy Prince is a statue located above the city, on a tall column. His physical appearance is described as majestic: gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. He had begun his life as an inexperienced prince who enjoyed the spoils of the upper-class society and never set foot outside the palace walls. After he died the town turned him into a statue and placed it on the wall of the palace from where he could see the hardships that the lower classes go through, just to survive. His heart cried over misery in the houses of the poor. When the swallow bird comes to him, he gives everything he has to the poor people in his town with the bird’s help, to bring some joy in their lives. However, the swallow dies and the Happy Prince’s heart breaks. He is taken to heaven because of his good deeds and a pure heart.
The Happy Prince Overview – This story is about a Prince. When the prince was alive, he was very happy. After his death, a big statue of his was erected on a pedestal. From there, the statue of Prince could see the entire city and at that time he saw the miseries of the people. He saw the poor people, the homeless, their hunger, and starvation. The Prince was sad to see all these miseries, sadness of the people. So in this chapter, we will study the story of this prince.
Related: The Happy Prince Summary, Explanation
Some Questions on Character Sketch of the Happy Prince
Q1: Describe the physical appearance of the Happy Prince in the story. How does his appearance change over time, and what significance does it hold in the narrative?
Q2: Analyze the personality traits of the Happy Prince. How does he demonstrate selflessness and compassion throughout the story?
Q3: Discuss the relationship between the Happy Prince and the Swallow. How does their friendship develop, and how do they support each other?
Q4: Explore the symbolic significance of the Happy Prince’s lead heart and the swallow’s last journey. How do these elements contribute to the overall theme of the story?
Q5: The Happy Prince is considered a self-sacrificing character. Explain his acts of sacrifice and the impact they have on the people of the city. How do these actions reflect the theme of empathy and social responsibility?
Character Sketch of Swallow (Bird)
Swallow is a carefree bird which is on a journey to Egypt to join his friends for winter. He falls in and out of love quickly and moves quickly as well. When he heads to Egypt, he sees the Happy Prince statue and decides to take a break for the night. Seeing the Happy Prince weep for the poor people, he agrees to help the Happy Prince by distibuting his precious ruby stone, sapphire stones and gold leaves to those suffering in the town. He also accompanies the Happy Prince and tells him stories for many days. Subsequently, the weather became so cold that he did not have the strength to fly to Egypt and died at the feet of the Happy Prince. He becomes a loyal and pure-hearted companion for the Happy Prince, so he also receives his glory in heaven.
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Swallow (Bird)
Q1: What is the Swallow’s initial attitude towards the Happy Prince, and how does it change throughout the story?
Q2: How does the Swallow demonstrate selflessness and compassion in the story?
Q3: What are some of the challenges the Swallow faces in fulfilling its mission for the Happy Prince?
Q4: How does the Swallow’s journey with the Happy Prince impact its character development and understanding of love and sacrifice?
Character Sketch of Match-girl
The match-girl sells the matches on a street corner. She drops her matches in the gutter and is upset because she knows her father will beat her if she does not return home with sufficient money. She appears to be in a tragic situation until the Happy Prince sacrifices his other sapphire eye to help her. She receives a jewel from the swallow bird and comments that it is a pretty piece of glass.
Related: The Happy Prince Question Answers
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Match-Girl
Q1. Why was the Little Match girl in fear?
Character Sketch of Seamstress
The seamstress is commissioned to embroider passion flowers on a satin gown for one of the Queen’s maids-of-honor. She had coarse and red hands, all picked by the needle. The seamstress was very poor and was unable to give food or medicines to her little boy who was lying ill in the bed and crying for oranges.The swallow bird brings her the ruby of the Happy Prince, to end her sorrows.
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Seamstress
Q1. Why was the seamstress upset?
Q2. How would you describe the seamstress in the words of the Happy Prince?
Character Sketch of Writer
The writer is a student of theater, who is trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre, but he is not able to finish it because he is feeling too cold. He doesn’t have a fire in his dilapidated house. He is also feeling hungry because he does not have anything to eat and hunger makes him faint. The swallow brings him one of the Happy Prince’s sapphires with which he can buy firewood and survive. He becomes happy on seeing the jewel because he thinks that an admirer has sent it over.
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Writer
Q1. How was the playwright helped by the Happy Prince?
Related: The Happy Prince MCQ Questions
Character Sketch of Mayor
The Mayor’s narcissistic attitude epitomizes the problems of power. As he walks down the town, he he notices that the Happy Prince’s statue looks shabby due to the missing jewels. He wants the Happy Prince statue to be melted down and recast in his own image, and he wants to issue a proclamation banning birds from dying in public places.
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Mayor
Q1. What does the mayor represent in the Happy Prince?
Q2. What kind of person was the mayor?
Character Sketch of Councillors
The councillors give compliments on the original appearance of the Happy Prince Statue but call it shabby at present and agree with the Mayor. They eventually destroy the statue because it looks bad, after the Happy prince gives away all his jewels.
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Councillors
Q1. How did the mayor and the town Councillors describe the statue of the Happy Prince?
