Innocence and Friendship Theme Analysis

In Oscar Wilde’s “The Devoted Friend,” a bird called a Linnet tells a story to an unagreeable, self-righteous Water-rat. The story the Linnet spins is a satirical fairytale in which the rich and self-important Hugh the Miller convinces the poor, innocent little Hans to perform various chores for him in the name of devoted friendship. Oscar Wilde wrote during the Victorian era, a time when innocence was generally portrayed as a redemptive, desirable trait. In line with this, Little Hans, the very picture of sweetness and selflessness, is delighted to do all sorts of errands and chores to help his so-called best friend and is oblivious to the fact that the Miller never does anything for him in return. Throughout the story, though, little Hans’s childlike innocence allows the Miller to exploit him again and again, and ultimately leads to the young boy’s miserable death. Through little Hans’s tragic end, Wilde demonstrates that naivety, while charming, can be dangerous, and that true friendship is built on reciprocity—not exploitation.

The so-called friendship between the Miller and little Hans is extremely lopsided: the Miller continuously hoodwinks Hans into giving things or performing chores in the name of friendship, and Hans—wanting desperately to be a good and loyal friend—remains gullible through each deception. At one point in the story, to explain for taking so much from Hans’s garden, the Miller tells the young boy that “real friends should have everything in common.” Hans simply accepts this with a smile and feels proud of “having a friend with such noble ideas.” At one point, Hans politely declines the Miller’s request to carry a sack of flour to the market, declaring regretfully that he is far too busy to help. The Miller responds by saying, “considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow it is rather unfriendly of you to refuse.” The horrified little Hans declares “I wouldn’t be unfriendly for the whole world!” before eagerly departing for the market with the Miller’s flour. Wilde notes that “the neighbours thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave little Hans anything in return,” yet little Hans himself remains oblivious to this. He only feels the innocent happiness of sharing with a friend and doesn’t realize that his friend isn’t sharing the fruits of his own labor.

Despite little Hans’s innocent and generous nature, he dies a terrible death. In other words, his innocence was more than for naught—it was dangerous. There is no justice for Hans in the end. Towards the end of the tale, the Miller asks Hans to fetch the doctor for his injured son. Hans proclaims, “I take it quite as a compliment your coming to me, and I will start off at once.” He even agrees to go without a lantern. Hans, in his steadfast innocence, has yet to notice the Miller’s deception despite all that has happened to him before this final request. He dies as innocent and as eager to please as he was in the beginning. Hans dies trudging back home in the vicious storm: “At last he lost his way, and wandered off on the moor, which was a very dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes, and there poor little Hans was drowned. His body was found the next day by some goatherds, floating in a great pool of water, and was brought back by them to the village.” His death goes unnoticed by his “friend,” the Miller. He dies cold, alone, and, for all his generosity, forgotten. His innocence is unrewarded. At Hans’s funeral, the Miller ironically serves as chief mourner. The Miller feels no remorse and continues to be as selfish as before. At the funeral, he states that “as I was his best friend […] it is only fair that I should have the best place.” At the inn after the funeral, the Miller enjoys spiced wine and sweetcakes while talking about how he doesn’t know what to do with his wheelbarrow now—the one he had said he was going to give to Hans but never did—lamenting that “one certainly suffers for being generous.” He does not mention all that Hans has done for him. Indeed, it seems he does not even remember. Hans’s innocence and generosity has come to nothing, as he never had a true friendship with the Miller.

In “The Devoted Friend,” innocence coupled with an unbalanced friendship leads to injustice and suffering. With each reiteration of the Miller’s exploitation of Hans, the reader grows more wary of Hans’s innocence. Indeed, it seems that in this fairytale, innocence can be equated with foolishness. In the “friendship” between the Miller and Hans, readers may find the Miller’s selfishness frustrating, but Hans’s innocence proves equally disappointing. Wilde does not reward Hans for his innocence; rather, Hans is punished. It is not that innocence per se is a negative personality trait, but that in a less-than-innocent world, innocence can often lead to disastrous consequences.