Oscar Wilde's 'The Model Millionaire' Summary

"The Model Millionaire" by Oscar Wilde

Background

• The short story "The Model Millionaire" was written by Oscar Wilde and first published in The World in June 1887.
• It was later reprinted in the anthology Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories in 1891.

Characters

• Hughie Erskine: the protagonist, a young, attractive, and well-liked man who is struggling financially.
• Laura Merton: the woman Hughie loves, who reciprocates his feelings.
• Colonel Merton: Laura's father, who does not want Hughie to marry his daughter due to his poor financial prospects.
• Alan Trevor: Hughie's artist friend, who is painting the elderly beggar.
• The elderly beggar: later revealed to be Baron Hausberg, one of Europe's wealthiest men.

Plot

• Hughie gives his last sovereign to the elderly beggar, who is posing as a model for Alan Trevor's painting.
• The beggar is revealed to be Baron Hausberg, who is amused by Hughie's kindness.
• Baron Hausberg sends Hughie a check for £10,000 as a wedding gift, allowing him to marry Laura.
• Hughie and Laura get married, with Alan Trevor as the best man and Baron Hausberg speaking at the wedding breakfast.

Themes

• The importance of kindness and generosity, even when one is struggling financially.
• The materialistic aspects of life, and how financial success can be used to benefit others.
• The contrast between Hughie's financial struggles and the wealth of Baron Hausberg.

Appearance vs. Reality

• In "The Model Millionaire," physical attractiveness is highly valued in late-19th-century London society, but it can be deceiving.
• Hughie Erskine's good looks make him widely admired, but he lacks brilliance and ambition.
• Alan Trevor, on the other hand, is an unattractive but brilliant artist who achieves financial success through his work.

Artists and Society

• The story explores the social function of artists and their responsibility in depicting the world around them.
• Alan Trevor believes that artists should depict the world "as they see it, not as they know it," suggesting that art is purely representational.

Generosity and Compassion

• The story highlights the importance of generosity and compassion as the most consequential traits a person can have.
• Hughie Erskine's tenderhearted nature is contrasted with the "great truths of modern life," which prioritize wealth and romance over other values.
• Hughie's charming and romantic nature allows him to subsist on a meager family allowance despite not learning these "great truths."