Oscar Wilde’s short story “The Model Millionaire” is an engaging read laced with humor, wit, and irony. The story revolves around the cliché of avoiding stereotypical notions when we look at people, not criticizing others based on their financial status or appearance. The main character of the story is Hughie Erskine and his love interest, Laura. Laura’s father, who is not ready for their marriage, and Hughie’s artist friend Alan Trevor and Baron, who brings about the main climax in the storyline are other characters in this story.
Model Millionaire | Summary
The main character of the story is a young man named Hughie Erskine, who is in love with Laura Merton. Hughie isn’t particularly wealthy, and when he says he wants to marry Laura, his financial condition causes an obstacle for him. Everyone likes and respects him for his humble attitude, but Despite his efforts, he is unsuccessful. When Hughie sees an elderly beggar posing as a model for his artist friend, he is touched with sympathy. The most valuable coin he could find in his pocket, he gives to the beggar. Hughie’s learning that the beggar was truly Baron Hausberg is the story’s main turning point. Hughie’s major struggle in his story revolves around his love for Laura, the daughter of a former colonel. The Colonel has asked Hughie to ask for Laura’s hand in marriage only after he has ten thousand pounds of his own.
Baron Hausberg had asked Alan to paint him as a beggar, as Alan explained to Hughie. In addition, he was also acting as a beggar when Hughie met him for the first time. Hughie felt quite ashamed of himself since he had humiliated himself by giving a sovereign to a wealthy businessman. Hughie accused Alan of failing to inform him sooner of the beggar’s true identity and thus embarrassing him. The next morning, Mr. Gustave Naudin, Baron Hausberg’s messenger, visits Hughie’s home. He hands Hughie a sealed packet that Baron Hausberg has sent. There is a note on the envelope that says it is a wedding gift to Hughie and Laura. Inside the envelope was a check for ten thousand pounds. As a result, Hughie earns $10,000 on his own and weds Laura Merton. Baron Hausberg delivers a speech at the wedding, while Alan is the best man. The next sentence from Alan reads, “Millionaire models were rare enough, but model millionaires were rarer still.”
Model Millionaire | Analysis
The satirical short story serves as a critique of materialism and the value humans place on money. Despite his best efforts, Hughie is unable to achieve financial success; yet, he is fascinated by the poor earnings of the beggar model and laments the fact that his artist friend is making more for his paintings than the paintings’ subjects. Oscar Wilde opens “The Model Millionaire” in his typical savvy and provocative manner. We may discover lines by Wilde that are both intellectually admirable and hilarious in all of his other writings. “Unless one is wealthy, there is no use in being charming,” is the story’s opening line. What use are talent and kindness of heart if one lacks wealth, argues the story, which challenges the way you see people and the world they live in? But given that Hughie’s kindness ultimately prevailed, isn’t inherent goodness of heart the true wealth? Not that Hughie was skeptical about working. In reality, he attempted numerous other careers but was never successful. In actuality, he was unaware of the method of making money, he did not have the intellect for it and this brings about his status of “unsuccessful”.
Oscar Wilde’s characters are known for their eccentricities. Oscar Wilde believed Hughie earned the 10,000 pounds because, despite having no money and a good appearance, he was kind, merciful, and had a sympathetic place for the underprivileged. The hilarious Baron takes note of these traits when he asks Alan all about Hughie and his life, even details about Laura and Hughie. The persona of Alan Trevor, the painter at whose home Hughie and the Baron first meet, is very nonchalant and engraved with artistic virtues. Alan seems to be a very skilled painter but has an emotionally distant personality. Alan Trevor is less emotionally committed in life than Hughie, yet he shares a bond with Hughie and later becomes the best man at Hughie and Laura’s wedding. It is a satirical and amusing story that looks at money, generosity, and the true meaning of what it means to be a good person. All artists are drawn to things of beauty. Hughie was incredibly attractive, and Trevor was a talented artist. Hughie also had a freewheeling and happy personality. Trevor grew to enjoy Hughie. The contrast between financial success and moral wealth is one of the main themes of “The Model Millionaire.” The narrative offers a critique of upper-class culture, which frequently gives a lot of weight to status and wealth. The idea of art and its inherent value is also explored in the narrative. Alan Trevor emphasizes the value of creativity and artistic expression. He values art more than money. This emphasizes the idea that genuine value is found in creative or spiritual pursuits rather than merely material items.
Themes of social class and perception are addressed as well in “The Model Millionaire”. Hughie’s lack of riches and cultural standards stand in the way of his ambition to wed his love interest, Laura Merton. Hughie’s deeds and character attributes show him to be more deserving of admiration and respect than people who have wealth but lack integrity, and the story criticizes the superficial judgments made based on socioeconomic status. The wittiness of Oscar Wilde’s writing is evident in “The Model Millionaire.” He questions accepted ideas of success by using satire and irony. The story serves as a gentle reminder that genuine riches do not come from tangible things but rather from deeds of kindness and compassion, and the pursuit of loftier goals.
The story’s main lesson is to not pass judgment on others because You never know whose faith might change and cause a total shift in luck. Hughie left that evening after giving the beggar his souvenir but when he mentioned the beggar again, he only expressed sympathy. Furthermore, he offered to give him his used clothing. He just wanted to help the poor old beggar in whatever way he could. Hughie’s enormous heart is immediately clear from this, but what is less obvious is that one of the wealthiest men in Europe did not take offense at receiving money. This is how a perfect world might appear: a society in which the wealthy do not serve their egos and the poor are allowed to be themselves.
