**Character Sketch of the Happy Prince**

The Happy Prince is a beautiful and compassionate statue that stands high above the city. Although he is made of solid gold and adorned with precious jewels, he is not proud or arrogant. Instead, he possesses a kind and caring heart, always concerned about the welfare of those less fortunate than him.

**Selfless and Generous**
The Happy Prince's most notable characteristic is his selflessness and generosity. From his elevated position, he can see the suffering and poverty that plague the city. Unable to ignore the plight of the poor, he decides to use his wealth and beauty to help them. He orders his loyal servant, the Swallow, to distribute his gold leaves and jewels to those in need, leaving himself stripped of all his grandeur.

**Empathetic and Compassionate**
The Happy Prince demonstrates immense empathy and compassion towards the suffering of others. He is deeply moved by the sight of a young seamstress shivering in the cold, and he asks the Swallow to take his ruby from his sword hilt and give it to her. He feels the pain of the hungry and orders the Swallow to pluck out his sapphire eyes and give them to the poor. The Happy Prince's empathy is so strong that he sheds tears of lead for those in need, despite the pain it causes him.

**Altruistic Sacrifice**
The Happy Prince's character is defined by his willingness to make sacrifices for the well-being of others. He asks the Swallow to stay by his side and act as his messenger, delivering his gifts to the poor. Even in death, the Happy Prince's generosity continues as he instructs the Swallow to take the valuable gold leaf from his body and distribute it among the needy. This final act of selflessness demonstrates his unwavering commitment to helping others, even at the cost of his own existence.

**Significance of the Happy Prince's Character**
The character of the Happy Prince serves as a powerful symbol of compassion, selflessness, and the importance of helping others. Despite his privileged and carefree existence as a prince, he chooses to sacrifice his own comfort and beauty to alleviate the suffering of his people. Through his actions, he teaches the readers about the value of empathy and the transformative power of kindness. The Happy Prince's character highlights the importance of using one's resources and position to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need.

CHARACTERS

The Swallow The swallow is kind-hearted and polite. On discovering that the statue was not made of solid gold, he did not make any personal remark. He had to leave for Egypt to be with his friends but stayed back when the prince insisted. He also helped the prince in distributing precious jewels and gold among the poor and needy of the city. He also had a compassionate heart. He refused to pluck out the sapphires, for they were the prince’s eyes. And when the prince’s eyes had been given away as charity, the swallow decided to stay on with the prince. Even when the prince urged him to leave, he did not. He braved the cold and hunger until his last breath and sacrificed his life for the well-being of humanity.

Character Sketches

The Happy Prince: The Happy Prince is a very kind-hearted soul. When he was alive he did not see the sorrow of others. But, now he saw a large number of people in suffering and decided to help them. He asked the swallow to distribute the gold leaves and precious stones that adorn his body, to the poor and the needy. God rewards him for his good acts. He was a kind-hearted and noble soul.
The Swallow: The swallow is going back to his homeland. As the night approaches, he decides to sleep between the felt of the statue of the Happy Prince. When the little swallow is about the sleep, three successive drops of tears fall upon him. She feels pity and asks the prince for the reason. The Happy Prince tells him he wants to help the poor and needy persons. But since he is a statue now, he cannot move about. So the swallow helps him to distribute the gold leaves and precious stones that adorn his body. The swallow postpones her visit to Egypt and decides to stay back to help the Happy Prince. The swallow realises soon he would die because of the cold winter. Even then the swallow decides to stay back and help the Happy Prince to carry out his charity work. Thus the swallow is also a noble creature who is willing to give up his life for a noble cause.