English(Moments) Class 9 : Lesson 5 - The Happy Prince

In this page you get NCERT Solution Class 9 English Moment Lesson 5 The Happy Prince being given. English have two parts. English Moment Class 9th has been set by the CBSE Board. The speciality of this page is that here you can download pdf of NCERT Solution Class 9 English Moment. I expect that the given Class 9 English Moment solution Lesson 5 The Happy Prince will be immensely useful to you.  

Lesson:5
The  Happy  Prince

-Oscar Wilde

 

Think About It

1. Why do the courtiers call the prince “the Happy Prince”?Is he really happy?What does he see all around him?

Ans. The courtiers call the prince 'the Happy Prince' because he lives in the palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter.He was brought up in a luxurious environment.Now his statue is in stalled on a high pillar.He could now see the reality of life from that height.He could see the misery of poor and their pitiable condition.

 

2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for these a mstress?What does the swallow do in the seamstress' house?

Ans. The Happy Prince sends his ruby through the little swallow for the seamstress who was very poor.Her son was sick and thirsty.She had no money to buy oranges for the little boy.The swallow lays the ruby on the table beside the woman's thimble.Then,he flies round the table and fans the sick boy's forehead with his wings.

 

3. For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?

Ans. The prince sends the sapphires for the playwright who was tired and hungry.He was writing a play.But his poverty did not let him complete the work.He did not have money to buy food and fire wood.He took pity on him and decided to help him by sending the sapphire.

4. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?

Ans. When the swallow flies over the city,he finds widespread poverty all around.The beggars were sitting at the gates of the rich.The starving children with white faces were lying in the dark lanes.He finds the rich making merry in their beautiful houses.

 

5. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?

Ans. The Happy Prince had become totally blind.The swallow was impressed with his charity and kindness.He had sacrificed everything for a good cause of helping the poor in their needs.The swallow loved the Prince and could not leave him in that state.He decided not to go to Egypt.He remained there till his last breath.

 

6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story?Why are they precious?

Ans. The two most precious things in the city were the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow.The angel considered them the most precious because they sacrificed their lives for the happiness of others.

Extra Questions

1. Where was the swallow headed? Why?

Ans. The swallow was headed to Egypt.The swallow was flying to Egypt because it would soon be winter in his part of the world. In contrast, it was still sunny in Egypt. Moreover all his friends had already left a long time ago and so the swallow was following them to Egypt.

2. Why did the swallow stop in his journey to Egypt ? Did he manage to reach Egypt ?

Ans. The swallow stopped in the Happy Prince’s city under his statue because it was night and he wanted a place to rest till morning. No, the swallow never reached Egypt because while he was initially implored by the prince to stay and help him deliver jewels to the needy, his own kind heart melted at the prince’s compassionate and selfless nature. He fell in love with the Happy Prince and refused to move away from his side. He was unable to bear the winter frost and died at the feet of the prince.

3. Why did the swallow pluck out the Happy Prince’s eyes ?

Ans. The swallow plucked out the Happy Prince’s eyes because the Happy Prince had asked him to do so. He wanted to help two poor inhabitants of his city and as his eyes were made of priceless sapphires, he asked the swallow to pluck them out and give them to a young, hungry playwright and a miserable cold matchgirl to ease their suffering.

4. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince ? Why did the Mayor decide to have the statue pulled down ?

Ans. The statue of the Happy Prince was a magnificent one. It was a symbol of beauty. It was displayed on a tall column, high above the city. The statue was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold.Two rare and exotic sapphires glowed bright in the place of his eyes, while a large red ruby adorned his sword’s hilt. The Mayor decided to have the statue pulled down because the Happy Prince had donated all his finery to the poor people of the city and so now his statue looked shabby and unfit to be displayed on a high pedestal.

5. What proclamation did the Mayor decide to issue ? Why ?

Ans. The Mayor decided to issue a proclamation stating that birds were not allowed to die in the city. The Mayor decided to issue such a proclamation after noticing the swallow’s dead body lying near the feet of the statue of the Happy Prince. The Mayor in his arrogance thought the sight spoiled the beauty of his city.