Analysis of the text «Devoted friend» by Oscar Wilde

1. In this fairy tale-parable, the main themes are selfishness, lies, hypocrisy, demagogy
[deməgɒgɪ] and innocence, naivety and credulity. The title of the story is easy to understand,
as it tells about a devoted friend who paid with his life because of his devotion.
2. There are two plots in this story - the framing and the main one. The framing plot is
a conversation between a water rat, a duck and a linnet, while the main plot revolves around
a rich miller and a poor gardener. An unknown author in the third person narrated the
framing plot, but at the very end, he spoke in the first person. The main plot is told by a
linnet bird.
3. Regarding the text from the side of stylistic techniques and means of expression, the
first thing we can observe is the description of an old water rat using an epithet and simile:
“bright beady eyes”, “stiff grey whiskers”, “his tail was like a long bit of black India-
rubber”. Next, we see a duck with her ducklings, which the author described with the
following simile and epithets: “looking just like a lot of yellow canaries”, “pure white with
real red legs”. This description creates a certain image in the reader's head. We see that the
mother duck tried to teach the ducklings to stand on their heads in the water in order to get
into high society, which is quite ironic in the conditions of the animal world. In this way we
understand that the following story will be about the anthropomorphic animals, which is not
uncommon for the genre of fairy tales-parables. All actions take place in nature in a pond.
This is stated directly in such words as «the pond, the water, the willow-tree, a silver spray».
The mother duck and the old water-rat started to on argument. For her, the main values
were family and love, while the rat was a confirmed bachelor. We see this trough repetition,
which shows his attitude towards the family: «I know nothing about the feelings of parents,
said the Water-rat; 'I am not a family man. In fact, I have never been married, and I never
intend to be.». Further, he said that devoted friendship is most important: «Indeed, I know of
nothing in the world that is either nobler or rarer than a devoted friendship.» That
hyperbole shows what priorities rat has set in his life.
A linnet bird intervened [ɪntəˈviːnd] in the conversation, who asked what a devoted
friendship is for a water rat. What the duck did to, however instead of listening, she lowered
her head into the pond to give her children a good example. However, an example of what is
unclear for that moment. The water rat answered this question with the following
exclamation sentence: «What a silly question!». This shows the emotional state of the
character, and the nominal one shows some irritation. In addition, the selfish rat replied that,
of course, the meaning of a devoted friendship is in an unrequited devoted friend. Further,
we see that linnet is going to tell a story, and her figure appears to the reader as an
authoritative and reliable narrator. The rat claimed that he adored fiction, especially if it was
prose about himself, which speaks of his selfishness: « 'Is the story about me?' asked the
Water-rat. If so, I will listen to it, for I am extremely fond of fiction.”. Next, the bird began to
tell the main story.
The story revolves around the poor little gardener Hans, whom the author described
with the following epithets: «funny, round, good-humoured face». The author also described
his dwelling as follows: «He lived in a tiny cottage all by himself, and every day he worked
in his garden. In all the country-side there was no garden so lovely as his.». The author used
an understatement here to show that even though it was a tiny house, nevertheless Hans
was happy to live such a modest life. Oscar Wilde also used a comparison here to show how
beautiful Hans's garden was: «In all the country-side there was no garden so lovely as his.».
The author by writing the name of each flower that grew in Hans' garden wanted to show
how dear these flowers were to him and the author also used parallelism to show the
cyclicity [sī-ˈkli-sə-tē] of how quietly the life of Hans and his garden developed from year to
year: «Sweet-william grew there, and Gilly-flowers, and Shepherds'-purses, and Fair-maids
of France. There were damask Roses, and yellow Roses, lilac Crocuses, and gold, purple
Violets and white. Columbine and Ladysmock, Marjoram and Wild Basil, the Cowslip and
the Flower-de-luce, the Daffodil and the Clove-Pink bloomed or blossomed in their proper
order as the months went by, one flower taking another flower's place, so that there were
always beautiful things to look at, and pleasant odours to smell.».
However, above his garden, Hans put only friendship with the rich Miller. Oscar Wild
described it with the help of inversion and the following irony: “devoted was the rich Miller
to little Hans, that he would never go by his garden without learning over the wall and
plucking a large nosegay, or a handful of sweets herbs, or filling his pockets with plums and
cherries if it was the fruit season”. It is used to intensify this character of the Miller, so that
the reader does not doubt his friendship with Hans. Nevertheless, the little gardener admired
his selfish friend, for which the author again used irony: «Real friends should have
everything in common," the Miller used to say, and little Hans nodded and smiled, and felt
very proud of having a friend with such noble ideas.». Nevertheless, the neighbors
considered it strange that Hans never received reciprocity from the Miller. However, when
winter came, Hans suffered and never received help from his friend. To do this, the author
used the following antithesis: «during the spring, the summer, and the autumn he was very
happy, but when the winter came, and he had no fruit or flowers to bring to the marked, he
suffered a good deal from cold and hunger». Winter lasted for him for a very long time, so
the author used the following periphrasis: «as long as the snow lasts». Despite the suffering
of the little gardener, the miller's family discussed what a supposedly good friend the head of
the family was. To do this , the author used the following paradox: «for when people are in
trouble they should be left alone, and not be bothered by visitors. That at least is my idea
about friendship, and I am sure I am right. So I shall wait till the spring comes, and then I
shall pay him a visit, and he will be able to give me a large basket of primroses, and that will
make him so happy.». Any attentive reader will understand that Miller's words have no
meaning and confirmation, his demagoguery had nothing to do with reality, and
nevertheless, his wife fully supported him. This can be noticed thanks to the following
framing, which enhances the irony of what is happening: « You are certainly very thoughtful
about others," answered the Wife, as she sat in her comfortable armchair by the big
pinewood fire; "very thoughtful indeed.». The wife also compared her husband to a
preacher, saying that the priest's speeches were not so rich, although he lived in great
prosperity: “I am sure the clergyman himself could not say such beautiful things as you do,
though he does live in a three-storied house, and wears a gold ring on his little finger.». This
irony is used to show that for this family worthy speeches could belong only to rich people.
Only the miller's youngest son suggested to his father to invite the gardener to visit, to
which he immediately got angry, this is conveyed by an exclamation sentence to show the
emotions of the character: «What a silly boy you are!». The father was afraid that Hans
would come to visit and see that they were very rich, for which polysyndeton was used:
«Why, if little Hans came up here, and saw our warm fire, and our good supper, and our
great cask of red wine, he might get envious, and envy is a most terrible thing, and would
spoil anybody's nature.». Further, the miller explains to his son that generosity corrupts
people and leads to permanent loans, which means that Hans will definitely ask for a loan of
flour, and this contradicts friendship. To do this, the antithesis and hyperbole at the end of
the utterance were used to show the miller's priorities and his inflated expectations about
other people who, in his opinion, would agree with him: « Flour is one thing, and friendship
is another, and they should not be confused. Why, the words are spelt differently, and mean
quite different things. Everybody can see that.». Further, the miller's wife compared her
husband's speeches to being in church, which has an ironic effect: "How well you talk!" said
the Miller's Wife, pouring herself out a large glass of warm ale; "really I feel quite drowsy.
It is just like being in church."
Further, Miller said that although many people do good things, it is much more
important to talk, which also has an ironic effect, which the author achieved with the help of
the antithesis: « Lots of people act well," answered the Miller; "but very few people talk
well, which shows that talking is much the more difficult thing of the two, and much the finer
thing also;».
Further, the story is interrupted by a water rat, who thought that this was the end of the
story, criticizing linnet and her supposedly old method of telling. The rat gave her an
example of a clever critic, in her opinion, whose criticism was undoubtedly [ʌnˈdaʊtɪdlɪ] as
"he had blue spectacles and a bald head", which is undeniable ironic. Nevertheless, the rat
was pleased with the story: «But pray go on with your story. I like the Miller immensely.»
This intensifier is used to show the resemblance between the water-rat and the miller.
The story continued, where the reader will see that spring has come, for which the
author used a periphrasis with the following epithets: «as soon as the winter was over, and
the primroses began to open their pale yellow stars, the Miller said to his wife that he would
go down and see little Hans.». The author also used a paradox to show Millers family
values: «“Why, what a good heart you have!» cried his Wife; «you are always
thinking of others. And mind you take the big basket with you for the flowers.”.».
When Hugh Miller arrived at Hans' house, he asked how Hans was doing all the
winter, in order to create the appearance of a good friend. The author uses repetition in the
Han’s answer “it is very good of you to ask, very good indeed” to show his feelings after
such a winter and the gardener's joy that his friend asked him about it. Further, Hans told
how hard it was for him this winter, for which the author used gradation: « So I first sold the
silver buttons off my Sunday coat, and then I sold my silver chain, and then I sold my big
pipe, and at last I sold my wheelbarrow.». He had to sell all his valuables to survive this
winter.
The miller promised to give Hans his old broken wheelbarrow, which he put up as an
incredible benefactor, because he was not sorry, because he bought a new one. To do this ,
the author used a paradox: «I know it is very generous of me, and a great many people
would think me extremely foolish for parting with it, but I am not like the rest of the world. I
think that generosity is the essence of friendship, and, besides, I have got a new wheelbarrow
for myself. Yes, you may set your mind at ease, I will give you my wheelbarrow.».
However, in return, Hugh asked Hans for a whole basket of flowers and a board for
repairing the roof, which made the little gardener very surprised, which is expressed by
anadyplosis: “...mind you fill it quite full. "Quit full?». The next day, Miller did not give
Hans the wheelbarrow, but asked him to take a bag of flour to the market, referring to the
fact that it would not be friendly to refuse, to which the gardener answered him: "Oh, I am so
sorry," said Hans,"but I am really very busy to-day. I have got all my creepers to nail up,
and all my flowers to water, and all my grass to roll." Thanks to this parallelism, the reader
understands that Hans had a lot to do. Nevertheless, Hans helped the miller.
 The next day, Hugh came with another absurd task to his neighbor, who was very
exhausted, but his friend didn't care, and for that the author used the paradox: «Upon my
word,» said the Miller, «you are very lazy. Really, considering that I am going to give
you my wheelbarrow, I think you might work harder. Idleness is a great sin, and I certainly
don't like any of my friends to be idle or sluggish. You must riot mind my speaking quite
plainly to you. Of course I should not dream of doing so if I were riot your friend. But what
is the good of friendship if one cannot say exactly what one means? Anybody can say
charming things and try to please and to flatter, but a true friend always says unpleasant
things, and does riot mind giving pain. Indeed, if he is a really true friend he prefers it, for
he knows that then he is doing good.». Thus, the author again showed a discrepancy with the
deed and the word. However, the poor guy agreed to help again. The author used
detachment “He worked there all day long, till sunset,” to emphasize that it really took him
a whole day. Once again deceiving Hans, the neighbor asked him to take the sheep to the
mountains. The author with the help of repetition “a great privilege... a very great
privilege” showed that for Hans it was a great pleasure to help Miller. Oscar Wilde also
reminded us about the gardener's flowers, personifying them: “as he was afraid his flowers
would think he had forgotten them”. They still meant a lot to the poor person, he was very
upset. In the end, Miller sent a Messenger for a doctor for his son who fell down the stairs.
Describing this stormy night, in which a neighbor came, the author also indirectly conveyed
to us the mental state of the character, his fatigue, uneasiness and exhaustion [ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən],
showing us this terrible night: “a loud rap came up at the door. It was a very wild right, and
the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so terribly that at first he thought it was
merely the storm. But a second rap came, and then a third, louder than either of the others”.
Miller spared the gardener's lantern, so he had to walk in total darkness: « The night was so
black that little Hans could hardly see, and the wind was so strong that he could hardly
stand.». This repetition is used to show us how hard it was for the character. Hans got to the
doctor, who didn't even take him with him, and so the little gardener died by drowning in the
marshes. During the funeral, the miller sobbed and grieved most of all, telling everyone that
he did not know what to do with the unsold wheelbarrow, thereby indirectly blaming the
gardener for this. It is stated indirectly.
This was the end of the linnet's story, but the water rat was annoyed that she did not
catch the moral of the story and left and the duck listened to the whole story, having been in
the water upside down with her head. The author used irony here: “Ah! that is always a very
dangerous thing to do,» said the Duck”. In the end, the author said that he agreed with her.
The meaning of the main story is that senseless and naive sacrifices in the name of
friendship will never be appreciated and will eventually lead to a tragic ending. Nevertheless,
the frame plot is a little more complicated, where Oscar Wilde ridicules Victorian society,
where the rat is waiting for a "normal" Victorian fiction with a simple character with whom
you can compare yourself, waiting for a "normal" Victorian epilogue, complaining that linnet
does not spare her heroes, just as critics condemned Wilde. Perhaps the duck seems to be a
positive character here, but she also did not listen to the story, lowering her head into the
water. And only after the author's final words, the meaning of the fairy tale becomes clear for
us: a society that imagines that it stands on firm moral principles does not at all want to
somehow understand these principles. All artistic means of the short but capacious text of the
modernist writer are subordinated to the merciless identification of the absurdity, universally
accepted as truth and morality.