The Model Millionaire is a literary work by Oscar Wilde that involves a twist in the life of an unlucky man. He was in love with a girl but money was a hurdle. He made a humble gesture that changed his luck.
This article elaborates on the following terms:
- Author
- Characters
- Summary
- Analysis
- Review
- Moral Lessons
- Conclusion
Author
Oscar Wilde wrote the model millionaire in the 19th century. He was a Irish prominent writer. The common themes in his literary works are humanity, kindness, and morality.
Famous literary works of Oscar Wilde are:
- The Happy Prince
- De Profundis
Characters
The book has the following characters:
Hughie Erskine
A handsome man and the main character of the story. He was adored by everyone but was unlucky in financial matters.
Laura Merton
Hughie was in love with Laura Merton. She was the daughter of a retired colonel.
Alan Trevor
He was a painter and Hughie’s friend.
Begger
Hughie felt sad for him and donated all the money he had. The real identity of Begger is summarized below.
Oscar Wilde’s The Model Millionaire Summary
Oscar Wilde mostly emphasized kindness and morality in his works. This story shares the same lessons. The author starts the story by introducing readers to a character named Hughie. He is the protagonist. He is portrayed as a handsome man but is financially unstable.
He fell in love with Laura. She was the daughter of a retired colonel. The colonel demanded that he get Laura to marry him if he would show ten thousand pounds. This was a big obstacle for him.
Hughie visited his friend Alan Trevor. He was a famous painter. When Hughie met him, he was painting a beggar. The beggar was sitting in front of him.
The author shared the look of a beggar with readers. He was wearing old dirty clothes with wrinkles on his face. Hughie felt sorry for him. When Alan went outside, Hughie donated all the money to Begger. The beggar thanked Highie.
Hughie asked Alan about the money for using the beggar as a tool. He said he would pay a small amount of money to him while sell the painting for two thousand pounds. Hughie advised Alan to pay him more for his work.
In the evening, Hughie met Alan and he revealed the true identity of Begger. The beggar was Haron Hausberg, a millionaire. He was Alan’s buyer and told him to make his painting as a beggar.
Alan further revealed that he told Begger about Hughie’s circumstances. This made Highie angry. He didn’t want him to leak about his personal life.
This may contain a spoiler for readers. The story ends when Hugie receives an envelope from Hausberg’s secretary. He opened the envelope. There was ten thousand pounds.
Analysis
This story explains the results of humble gestures. Hughue prefers humanity above wealth. He was financially struggling but he donated all coins to the beggar. He did it in the spirit of humanity. He was not aware of his real identity.
- This story sends a message of kindness and humility to readers.
Themes
The major themes are:
Kindness
True kindness brings fruitful results.
Humanity
Hughie’s action was for humanity. He forgot his financial problems and helped the beggar.
Generosity
This story shows the generous nature of Hughie. He deserved to be adored by people. He donated his valuable possessions to beggar showing his love for charity.
Wealth and Appearance
This story sends a theme that never jughe early. The beggar looked poor but he was a millionaire while Hughie was poor but rich from the heart.
Social Class
Laura’s father’s approval was necessary for marriage. He wanted Hughie to be financially stable. On one side, this shows a social difference. On the other side, it was a great decision for the Colonel. He was concerned for the future of his daughter.
Review
Oscar Wilde shared amazing messages via stories in his books. This is also one of the works admired by readers because of its simple themes and useful lessons.
Pros
- The writing style was elegant with beautiful use of vivid descriptions.
- The message or idea left a mark on readers.
- The work would not consume too much time.
Cons
- Sometimes Oscar Wilde’s writing involved the use of difficult terms but that elaborated the era of literature.
- Some characters are not defined in depth.
I would give it 9\10.
Moral Lessons
- Help needy people
- Humanity is superior
- Never judge early
- If you do good actions, you will get good results in life
- Be kind to everyone
Conclusion: The Model Millionaire Summary
The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde involves the meeting of an unlucky man in need of money for getting his love with a beggar. The beggar turned out to be life life-changing coin for him. He helped him in getting his love. The book has captivated hearts with elegant descriptions of kindness and humbleness.
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