The Irony of Charity
Charity is supposed to be for the betterment of society as a whole. It’s a cyclical process in which those who have more, share with those less fortunate. However, the only true cyclical aspect of charity in Wilde’s tales is the inevitable perpetual misery brought on by charitable actions. The Nightingale dies in vain, the Happy Prince has lost his friend, Hans dies, and most people remain miserable.
The Irony of Devoted Friendship
Wilde writes, "Hans never troubled his head about these things, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful things the Miller used to say about the unselfishness of true friendship" (25). The irony here, of course, is that only Hans is a true, devoted friend. He does everything for the Miller and gets nothing in return. The Miller thinks himself an excellent friend but only because he gets everything out of the friendship.
The Irony of Sacrifice
Is it truly sacrifice if those who benefit do not recognize the gift they have been given? The Student discards the rose produced by a dying bird, the Miller does not realize his friend has died while helping him out, and the Happy Prince has not successfully rid his town of misery. These actions are supposed to be recognized and lauded but in many of Wilde's tales they are not.
The Irony of Confidence
Confidence is supposed to come from a place of understanding one’s true potential, however, even though the Rocket is right to believe he will produce the most beautiful explosion, he doesn’t realize he has had no impact on anyone.
