Magical Realism in "The Happy Prince"

Magical Realism in “The Happy Prince”


In Oscar Wilde’s tale, “The Happy Prince,” there are many magical and realistic elements in the story. Both elements are unique in their own way, yet they also intertwine with one another as well. Some of the themes from the story include things such as love and compassion, time, and tragedy. These themes are characteristics of reality yet are portrayed in a magical light. Although most fairy tales are based on things that normally only occur in a magical realm, this particular story uses realistic aspects of everyday life as well as realistic imagery.

Throughout the story, the characters serve as a representation of the traditional fairy tale characters. For example, the animals and the statue in the story are all able to talk to one another as well as having real emotional feelings. This example tells the reader that, not only are these ma...