The happy prince

The happy prince is a famous fairy tale written by Oscar Wilde. When I first heard the book’s name, I thought it must be an interesting story about the happy life of the prince or about the romantic love between the prince and princess. However, it was a sad story. The prince devoted himself to the happiness of others. I was greatly touched by what the prince and the little swallow have done.

This book mainly tells the story about the happy prince and a swallow. They are the embodiments of the true, the good and the beautiful. In fact, the prince is just a statue standing high above the city. Once he was a happy prince living in the palace of Sans-Souci and he didn’t know what sorrow was. Now as a statue, his body was gilded with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. He could see all the ugliness and all the misery of the city. He sympathized with the sufferings of the poor. The little swallow was going to Egypt to enjoy the warm spring. He was moved by the prince’s kindness. Later he became the messenger of the prince and was

commissioned by the prince to give the ruby, sapphires and all the golden leaves to the poor. Finally, the poor were saved and lived a happy life. However, the swallow died of cold and his body was thrown on a dust-heap. The prince became very dull and shabby, so the statue was pulled down and his leaden heart was thrown together with the swallow. But the dead bird and the leaden heart were considered by the god as the most precious things in the city. So the god let them go into the paradise and the city of gold.

In the story, the prince is a very kind, generous and selfless person. He can devote his life to the poor. He is just like an angel. The story is divided into four parts to show the prince’s devotion. In the first part, the prince saw a thin and worn seamstress working on a gown for the queen’s maids-of-honor. Her little boy is lying ill. So the prince begged the little swallow to give the woman his ruby. In the second part, the prince saw a young man in a cold, shabby house trying to finish a play for the director of the theatre. He was too cold and hungry to write any more. The prince asked for the swallow to give him his sapphire. In the third part, the prince saw a poor

little matchgirl crying, because she spoiled her matches. Her father would beat her if she didn’t bring home some money. So once again, the prince requested the little swallow to give her another sapphire. Then the prince became totally blind. In spite of that, in the fourth part, the prince made the swallow to tell him what life people lived. Then he commanded the swallow to give all his golden leaves to the poor. After that he became so ugly, just like a beggar.

The swallow also sacrificed himself for the benefits others. But his selfless acts were inspired by the happy prince. His love to the prince was great and touching. It was the swallow who spread the love and kindness of the prince to the poor. So he was as great as the happy prince. He was waited for in Egypt by his companions, where he could enjoy the warm spring, the beautiful scenery and live a happy life. But he was filled with pity to the prince. At first, he refused prince’s offer three times, but finally he chose to help the prince. In addition, when the prince became blind, he didn't go to Egypt but stay with the prince regardless of the chill winter. Finally, he died in the city.

In the story, many contrasts are used. At first, the statue of the prince was admired by many people, especially the councilor. But at last, when the statue became shabby, it was mercilessly pulled down by people. The author compared the prince and the swallow with some people such as the councilor, the mayor and the queen’s maids-of-honor. He praised the kindness, selflessness of the former and satirized the indifference and selfishness of the latter. The author also compared the poor to the rich. It reflected the society of the time. The poor worked hard, but they lived a hard life. The rich always bled people and enjoyed themselves.

Do well and have well. Although the dead bird and the leaden heart of the prince were thrown on the dust-heap, they were considered as the most precious things in the city by god. Most importantly, they had a happy ending. "The Happy Prince" is a moving and provoking tale about love and sacrifice. The language of the story is both extremely beautiful and sad. This book attracts many readers with its flexuous plot, exquisite language, and vivid characters. Oscar Wilde brings us a beautiful feast. At the same time, he inspires us to think the moral

and life philosophy deeply.

Oscar Wilde is an outstanding aesthete. He emphasizes human’s soul and body should be combined into one. You are only beautiful when you have a beautiful soul. Nothing in the world is more beautiful than a kind heart. So the happy prince and the swallow are the representatives of real beauty. In the end of the story, Oscar Wilde’s aesthetic ideas are fully expressed. He thinks only beautiful things have the value of existence and beauty is eternal. The happy prince and the swallow are brought into paradise by the angel. So they will stay in the paradise permanently.

“The Happy Prince” embodies both the aestheticism and realism. It is a good book to purify people’s heart. Your will be beautiful when your heart is full of love. So we should learn to create a beautiful world with love.

 

第二篇：读《快乐王子》有感

读《快乐王子》有感

七年一班 王蓉

常言道：“每个人都应该永远保持一颗童心。”

每每拿起一本童话故事书，父母总会说我幼稚！我常反驳道：“童心无价，老师不也教育我们应当保持一颗童心吗？”

嘻嘻，这不，我刚得到一本童话书---《快乐王子》，本书页码虽少，却很吸引我。要不跟着我一起看？

在一座城市中，有一座快乐王子的雕像，他高高地耸立着，姿态优雅，美丽动人，他身上镶嵌着价值连城的宝石和黄金，世人都对他赞不绝口。夜幕降临，一只燕子从这座城市飞过，来到快乐王子脚下，准备借宿一晚，可正要休息时，他发现快乐王子在哭泣。一打听，才明白，快乐王子在为生活在水火当中的城民感到痛心。后来，快乐王子拜托燕子将他身上的宝石等，发给穷人。天气越来越冷，渐渐的快乐王子已不再像从前那样优雅、迷人。任何人都不再认为他很快乐了，因为天气越来越冷，燕子为帮助别人自己却被冻死了，在那一刻，王子心碎了。上帝命天使把他俩带到他身边永运陪着他。

我真同情小燕子，屡次帮助快乐王子，可是寒冷的冬季，他又如何能熬过去呢!我也真同情快乐王子，为了子民抛弃了所有，重情重义。俗话说：“吃水不忘挖井人。”看了这本书后，我心中有说不尽的难受。因为我从燕子和小王子的身上想到了我的祖国。我的祖国受了近百年的耻辱，之后又奋斗了半个多世纪的发展，一头沉睡了千年的睡狮，终于发出惊天吼叫使世人目瞪口呆，睡狮终于苏醒了！祖国磅礴、壮丽的山河点缀着宏伟的中华历史，祖国用甘甜的乳汁哺育着儿女们，赐儿女一片蔚蓝的天，送儿女一个美满，辛福的家，给儿女安定的日子…..我们——未来祖国的建设者与接班人，又有多少人感谢祖国恩赐给我们这所有的一切？

祖先们打下的江山，英雄们用生命保卫了祖国，他们的鲜血流淌着，印红了天，印红了山河，染红了五星红旗，他们为了祖国的解放做出了巨大贡献，但他们的牺牲，谁又至今铭记？

当你我的家人聚在一起吃团圆饭时，坐在一起看春节联欢晚会时，那守护着祖国边疆的战士们依然坚守在岗位。

科技在发展。人们用上了手机，电脑，看上了电视，拥有了私家车，数量越来越多。生活在进步。人们的生活过的是红红火火，可爱面子不珍惜的现象越来越多。 环境被破坏。原来蔚蓝的天空不再那样蓝，原本新鲜的空气却夹带着毒气，臭气进入了人们的身体危害人

们的健康，原本草儿那样绿，原本的树儿那样浓荫，原本的花儿那样艳，可因为我们无情的将他踩踏，大量的砍伐树木，他们不再像从前那样美丽，诱人。

……

现在多少人在居安思危？有多少人在想着那些为国捐躯的烈士们？又有多少人在想着祖国的建设？

在别人为我们负出的时候，我们应当铭记在心中，懂得去回报，懂得去珍惜，懂得去感恩！