The Model Millionaire’ begins in Oscar Wilde’s usual witty yet thought-provoking way.

Wilde has this natural ability to coin intellectually very commendable and humorous phrases
which we find in all his other works as well. This story starts with the strong affirmation that
it is no use being charming if one is not wealthy. When you look at it on closer perspective, it
is in certain cases true. What is the use of a good personality when a person doesn’t have the
money to enhance one’s latent potential? Still Wilde’s phrases are open to debate where the
truth is concerned, and as Sophocles once said: “The Truth is always the strongest argument.”
Mind you, Wilde ends this short story on another witticism from his repertoire of wise words
which brings us to the question – what is rarer? A Millionaire model or a Model Millionaire?

In the story a charmer but penniless young man called Hughie Erskine loves a Colonel’s
daughter. The daughter’s name is Laura and the Colonel has made it clear to Hughie that
charm will only not do the trick; Hughie will have to earn or procure 10,000 pounds of his
own and then only will he give his consent. Hughie manages to do so at his Painter friend
Alan Trevor’s residence when he gives a model in beggars garb there all the money in his
pocket. The beggar turns out to be one of the richest men in Europe. Irony and novelty are at
the heart of this story. Oscar Wilde’s characters are always of an eccentric nature and so is
Baron Hausberg, the millionaire who modeled for the nonchalant Alan Trevor as a beggar.
This story and especially the last meaningful phrase in the short story categorize both the
Baron as well as Hughie as ‘a model millionaire’ because the former donated money to a
good cause and the latter because of compassion for a poor fellow soul in rags. Many times,
in Wilde’s literature we come across this dual natured aspect of frivolous extravagance
mingled with good virtues, often Christian like in nature. Hughie’s giving away of his
‘sovereign and some coppers’ from his pocket brings to mind the story of the poor woman at
the temple in the Bible who did not part from her plenty but gave all she had. To Oscar
Wilde, Hughie deserved the 10,000 pounds because although he was a person who looked
good, was charming but had no monetary back up – he was compassionate, merciful and had
a soft spot for the downtrodden. These virtues are noticed by the comic Baron who funds the
money desired by the Colonel to get Hughie and Laura married. I want to point out to the
character of Alan Trevor the painter at whose house the meeting of Hughie and the Baron
takes place. It is odd that even in Wilde’s seminal work The Picture of Dorian Gray two very
important people get acquainted with each other at, yet again, the house of a painter. Alan
seems to be a very careful painter but a person who is aloof from all things emotional. The
painter in The Picture of Dorian Gray is more emotionally invested in life than Alan Trevor.
It is however Alan Trevor who becomes best man for the wedding and who gives the final
speech which makes us analyze the phrase ‘model millionaire’ more closely. There are some
other closing points in this story ‘The Model Millionaire’ which I want to draw your attention
to:

 The comical illustration of the jobs of Hughie before he struck gold with the Baron. A
lot of funny lines described in that paragraph, especially about a butterfly like Hughie
not suitable among bulls and bears in the stock market.
 The fact that Hughie had no reverence for his father’s favorite book collection as well
as his cavalry sword.
 Many Wilde witticisms dotted throughout the short story, especially the one about
having a perfect profile and no profession.
 A mention that in Wilde’s time, people very often always turned out to become
painters thus alluding to the carefree Alan Trevor.
 “The Model Millionaire” by Oscar Wilde is a short story that
explores themes of kindness, generosity, appearances versus reality,
and societal values. The story centers on a young man named
Hughie Erskine, who is good-looking but lacks wealth or a
profession. He is in love with Laura Merton, the daughter of a retired
Colonel.
 Hughie’s friend, Alan Trevor, is a painter who introduces him to a
beggar-model for one of his paintings. Hughie, feeling
compassionate, gives the beggar a sovereign. However, the beggar is
revealed to be Baron Hausberg, a wealthy man who disguises
himself as a beggar for artistic reasons.
 Embarrassed by his mistake, Hughie worries about his reputation.
But when the Baron learns of Hughie’s intentions and generous
nature, he sends him a wedding gift of £10,000 for his marriage to
Laura.
 The story highlights the contrast between appearances and reality,
the value of kindness, and the irony of societal expectations. It
challenges the idea that wealth and appearances define a person’s
worth, suggesting that true generosity and character are more
important.
 The world has always been impressed by the glamour… and a very few
people care about the INNER BEAUTY…! It would be apt to say that
the BEAUTY LIES IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER. We find similar
kind of theme in the short story THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE by OSCAR
WILDE. The writer tries to show the true face of the contemporary world
(which has not changed a bit even today). At the beginning of the story,
he says, that there is no value of beauty unless you are wealthy. The
poor should be unimaginative and mundane and should not dream of
having a romantic relationship with a rich girl. Even your inner beauty
fails in front of the charm of the money and this is the greatest truth of
the modern life.

 THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE is a story of a young man called Hughie
Erskine who was a charming fellow but unfortunately, he didn’t possess
any wealth; nor he was successful to earn money. He tried his best to
earn money but he failed at every profession, and to make the matters
worse: he fell in love with the beautiful daughter of a retired Colonel;
and her name was Laura Merton. They were madly in love with each
other. Even the Colonel liked Hughie very much. But he wouldn’t give
permission for their engagement or marriage. The Colonel expected
Hughie to have wealth of 10,000 pounds of his own. Only then he would
allow them to marry each other. Due to this condition Hughie was
always worried, confused and didn’t know what to do.
 
 One day he went to visit his friend Alan Trevor who was a painter and
he was a real master in his art. When Hughie entered his studio, he
(Trevor) was putting finishing touches to a wonderful life size painting of
a beggar and he had an actual beggar as a model for that. The beggar
was standing in a corner of the studio. He was an old man and was in a
miserable condition. His face was wrinkled, clothes were torn and boots
were patched and cobbled. Hughie feels sorry to see his condition. So,
he asks Trevor that how much the beggar is paid for sitting as a model.
Trevor replies that he gets a Shilling for an hour. Hughie further asks
that how much Trevor gets for his painting…? Trevor replies that he
gets 2000 Guineas for his painting. Hughie feels bad to hear this.
Suddenly, Trevor goes to talk to the frame maker. Hughie feels pity for
that old beggar so, he takes out all the money from his pocket and gives
a sovereign into the beggar’s hand. The old man gets very happy and
says, “Thank you sir!” and then he (Hughie) leaves.

 Same night at 11 o’clock, Hughie goes to a club where he finds Trevor
who tells him that the old beggar was asking too many questions about
him. So, he (Trevor) told everything to the old man about Hughie, his
love affair and the condition put by the Colonel for his marriage with
Laura. Hughie gets very angry to know that his friend has disclosed his
personal matter in front of a beggar but Trevor tells him that the old man
was not a beggar. He was actually one of the richest men in Europe and
he was also the Baron Hausberg. Hughie feels very ashamed to offer
him a sovereign. So, he returns his home.

 Next morning a man arrives at the door step of Hughie and says that he
has come from Baron Hausberg and the Baron has ordered him to
deliver a letter to Hughie. Hughie takes the sealed envelope. On the
outside of the envelope was written, “A Wedding Present to Hugh
Erskine and Laura Merton, from an Old Beggar.” When Hughie opens
the envelope, he finds a cheque for 10000 Pounds inside it. So, this
way the old man shows his courtesy to a fine hearted young man and
proves himself to be a Model (Role model) Millionaire and even makes
his presence to Hughie’s wedding.
 Finally, the moral of the story is that the looks can be deceptive.
Therefore, we should only focus on the inner beauty of the people. Then
only we will be able to recognise real beauty of the people.
 Firstly, this short story emphasises the materialistic aspects of life. The protagonist of
this story Hughie is a misfit in a mercantile world. He is at a loss in the world of bulls
and bears. In spite of his charming appearance, he has failed in every attempts to
make money. He cannot understand the ways of the world and ends up miserably
whenever he tries to be successful materially. His affair with Laura is at a stake as he
has failed to raise a fund of ten thousand pounds as demanded by Laura's father who
welcomes Hughie as a person but is not ready to accept him as his son-in-law. Hence
the second sentence of the story becomes significant:"Romance is the privilege of the
 rich, not the profession of the unemployed." In the end, had Baron not provided
Hughie the money, the latter's marriage with Laura would not have materialised. So,
making both ends meet becomes more important than the melody of love. When the
stomach burns with hunger, the whole world becomes prosaic and the beautiful full
moon looks like a hot flour cake. Every lover and beloved should keep it in mind.

 Secondly, one must have the kindness of heart as well. Kindness shown to others pays
in the end. There is no doubt that had Hughie not offered the sovereign to Baron, the
latter would not have shown his generosity to sponsor the money Hughie required.
Tender qualities are not to be totally dispensed with even in a thoroughly materialistic
world.

 The above to themes are undoubtedly opposed to each other. Many readers object to
the very fact that this story has a fairytale quality. There are many chance factors in
this story. Hughie accidentally meets the disguised Baron at Trevor's studio. Then he
gets the chance to have an intimate exchange of feelings with the latter. Accidentally
there is a sovereign in his pocket. Strangely enough the beggar turns out to be a
millionaire. Many critics have identified the story as a modern version of the Jason
legend. But we must not discard the story as based only on chance factors because we
know that truth is stranger than fiction. Such chance factors are common in our life
too.

 However, one question remains in the end: What ultimately wins- the value system
that Laura's father believes or the cordial qualities that Hughie possesses? There is no
doubt that without ten thousand pounds the marriage would not have taken place. On
the other hand, it is also true that Hughie would not have got the prize from Baron had
Hughie not shown his kindness to the beggar, the disguised Baron. Wilde is not an
extremist. He believes that one must have a solid financial base to build the successful
married life. On the other hand, he maintains that while following the ways of the
world, one must not discard his cordial qualities completely. We must maintain a
steady balance between the two.

 Lastly, a rich man must know the proper ways to expend his wealth. Monetary gains
do not salve one's soul unless he expends that money to help others. By helping
Hughie to marry Laura, Baron exemplifies the ideal way to spend money. That is why
he raises himself to the status of a model millionaire from the status of a millionaire
model.

Kindness and Generosity Are Priceless: The story emphasizes that acts of kindness and generosity
have intrinsic value. Hughie’s genuine compassion and willingness to help the beggar, despite his
modest means, highlight the significance of these qualities in a person’s character.

Appearances Can Be Deceptive: The story underscores the theme that things are not always as they
seem. The beggar’s disguise as a destitute man, when he is, in fact, wealthy, serves as a powerful
example of how appearances can be misleading.

Society’s Values May Be Superficial: “The Model Millionaire” critiques societal values that prioritize
material wealth and social status. It challenges the idea that a person’s worth should be solely
determined by their financial standing, highlighting the shallowness of such judgments.
Unexpected Rewards: The story demonstrates that acts of kindness can lead to unexpected and
positive outcomes. Hughie’s generous gift, given in good faith, ultimately results in a significant
wedding gift from Baron Hausberg, illustrating the idea that kindness can be rewarded in surprising
ways.

True Wealth Lies in Character: The story suggests that true wealth is not measured in monetary
terms but in the richness of one’s character. Hughie’s kindness, empathy, and willingness to help
others are portrayed as qualities that make him the real “model millionaire” of the story.

Irony and Humor in Life: The story uses irony and humor to highlight the contrast between societal
expectations and the reality of human behavior. It invites readers to reflect on the contradictions and
absurdities of social norms.

Theme of appearance vs reality:

The theme of “appearance versus reality” is prominent in Oscar Wilde’s “The Model Millionaire.” This
theme revolves around the idea that things or people are not always as they initially seem, and there
can be a stark contrast between outward appearances and the underlying truth. Here’s how this
theme is explored in the story:

Baron Hausberg’s Disguise: The most significant example of appearance versus reality in the story is
the character of Baron Hausberg. He initially appears as a beggar, with a wizened and impoverished
appearance. However, it is later revealed that he is, in fact, an immensely wealthy man who disguises
himself as a beggar for artistic purposes. This stark contrast between his beggarly appearance and his
true wealth highlights the theme.

Hughie’s Generosity: Another example is Hughie’s act of giving a sovereign to the beggar-model,
whom he perceives as genuinely impoverished. His act is driven by compassion and a desire to help
someone in need. However, the reality of the situation is that the beggar is wealthy, and Hughie’s
generosity takes on a different meaning when the truth is revealed.

Society’s Superficiality: The story comments on society’s tendency to judge individuals based on their
outward appearances, especially their financial status. Society often values material wealth and
social standing without considering a person’s true character or actions.

The Value of Kindness: Ultimately, the story suggests that kindness and generosity are more valuable
than outward appearances or material wealth. Hughie’s genuine kindness and willingness to help,
even when he believes the beggar is destitute, make him the true “model millionaire” of the story.