character sketch of swallow
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The other protagonist of “The Happy Prince,” the Swallow, is a bird en route to Egypt for the winter. His trip is initially delayed due to his temporary passion for a Reed, foreshadowing to the thematic importance of love in this story. Although he wants to join his companions in the sunny land of Egypt, he begins to love the Happy Prince and remains in the town to help him deliver jewels and gold to townspeople in need. Although not as selfless as the Happy Prince—he repeatedly emphasizes his desire to leave and enjoy all of the beautiful things abroad—the Swallow comes to love the Prince and understand the value of doing good. In the mentor/mentee relationship developed between the pair, the Swallow plays the role of a younger mentee who needs to be set on the right track—at the start, he expresses trepidation at delaying his own pleasure for others, speaking in the context of the typical Victorian ideals Wilde criticizes throughout the story. However, his love for the Prince helps him grow and proves that moral behavior can be learned. In the end, the Swallow makes the ultimate sacrifice out of love—because the Prince goes blind after giving away his sapphire eyes, the Swallow decides to stay by his side forever, even though he knows that remaining through the winter will mean certain death. This sacrifice ultimately lands him a place in Paradise for eternity, reinforcing the story’s moral that anyone can change and choose to do good instead of acting selfishly.