Essay on “The Model Millionaire” by Oscar Wilde

The Privileged and the Underprivileged:

The Model Millionaire, a short story by Oscar Wilde deals with the impact of the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged showing a poor hero Hughie Erskine and a rich man Baron Hausberg.  What is left with Hushie? The answer is just an army sword and 15 volumes of a history book from his father and 200 pounds per year from an old aunt for his survival.  He tried his hand as a tea merchant, wine seller and even at Stock Exchange, but nothing helped him. He remained a handsome man with perfect profile but with no money.

Love is Blind and Marriage is a Bet:
The poor hero falls in love with Laura, the daughter of a retired military man.  Love is blind but here painful too.  The father conditions him to bring ten thousand pounds to hear the marriage bell. He wants money not the kind heart that Hughie has. Here comes an incident to take the story in different direction. Hughie's friend is an artist and he is about to finish the painting of a beggar.  Hughie sympathies with the beggar acting as model and alms him the pound he has. The old model-beggar thanks him with a smile.

Virtue Never Goes Unrewarded
Laura scolds him for being too generous.  But Hughie is also thinking of giving his old clothes to the old beggar.  To his great shock, he is informed by his friend that the beggar is actually the millionaire Baron Hausberg. He has house in every capital and he can even buy London with his money. It was just his humble request to the painter to draw him as a beggar.  Hughie is so upset and doesn’t know how to seek apology.  But the story ends with a twist. Next day Hughie receives a cover from the messenger of Baron with a cheque inside for 10000 pounds and a message outside – “A wedding present to Hughie and Laura, from an old beggar.”

Who is the Real Millionaire?
One who has money is not the millionaire but one who has heart to give the money to the needy.  Hughie is also a millionaire in this sense.  The baron also turns out to be a real millionaire after realizing the value of charity- the greatest virtue of all. A helping soul is better than an artist like the hero’s friend. Because the artist looks at nature and people as it is but the merciful looks at the world how better it should be.