Comparing And Contrasting

The Happy Prince and Federigo's Falcon

In this article, I will be comparing and contrasting The Happy Prince (Oscar Wilde) and Federigo's Falcon (Giovanni Boccaccio). I will find some differences (contrasting) and some similarities (comparing) in these two short stories. 

Similarities:

• The theme of poor people is used in “The Happy Prince” and “Federigo's Falcon”. In “The Happy Prince” the prince gives money to the poor from his riches. In “Federigo's Falcon” Federigo goes from being a wealthy man to being a poor man.
• In both “The Happy Prince” and “Federigo's Falcon” the theme of love is used. Federigo is willing to do anything for the woman he loves, even cooking his last possession. In the story “The Happy Prince” the bird, out of love for the prince, does not go to Egypt but helps the poor people, ultimately giving his life to make the prince happy. The prince loves his people so much that he is willing to sacrifice all that he had to help them.
• The theme of loss is used in both of the short stories. In “Federigo's Falcon” Federigo's one true love loses her son and her husband, and in “The Happy Prince” the world loses two good beings, the prince, and the bird. 

Differences:

• In the “Happy Prince” both of the main characters are non-sentient (a bird and a statue) while in “Federigo's Falcon” both of the main characters (Federigo and the woman he loved) are both humans. 
• At the end of the “Happy Prince” the main character, the prince, goes from being rich to being poor resulting in a sad ending, while in “Federigo's Falcon” our main character goes from being poor to being rich again resulting in a happy ending.