The Model Millionaire

by

Oscar Wilde

The Beggar (Baron Hausberg) Character Analysis

Baron Hausberg is one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Europe. He is also a friend and patron of Alan’s, and he has commissioned Alan to paint him as a beggar. Hughie, ignorant of Hausberg’s real identity, sees the man in beggar’s rags when he visits Alan’s studio and gives him one of his last coins out of pity. In his disguise, Hausberg thanks Hughie deeply. He then asks Alan all about Hughie after he leaves, learning of his financial and romantic difficulties. Hausberg is clearly moved by Hughie’s generosity and decides to repay him. He sends a messenger to Hughie the next day carrying a check for all the money he needs to wed Laura. At the marriage, he gives a speech. His exemplary behavior prompts Alan to dub him a “model millionaire.”

The Beggar (Baron Hausberg) Quotes in The Model Millionaire

The The Model Millionaire quotes below are all either spoken by The Beggar (Baron Hausberg) or refer to The Beggar (Baron Hausberg). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Appearance vs. Reality Theme Icon
).
The Model Millionaire Quotes

“Poor old chap!” said Hughie, “how miserable he looks! But I suppose, to you painters, his face is his fortune?”

“Certainly,” replied Trevor, “you don’t want a beggar to look happy, do you?”

Related Characters: Hughie Erskine (speaker), Alan Trevor (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

“Poor old fellow,” he thought to himself, “he wants it more than I do, but it means no hansoms for a fortnight”; and he walked across the studio and slipped the sovereign into the beggar’s hand.

Related Characters: Hughie Erskine (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Related Symbols: The Sovereign
Page Number: 32
Explanation and Analysis:

“An artist’s heart is his head,” replied Trevor; “and besides, our business is to realise the world as we see it, not to reform it as we know it. A chacun son métier

Related Characters: Alan Trevor (speaker), Hughie Erskine, The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:

“The old man you saw to-day in the studio was Baron Hausberg. He is a great friend of mine, buys all my pictures and that sort of thing, and gave me a commission a month ago to paint him as a beggar. Que voulez-vous? La fantaisie d’un millionnaire!

Related Characters: Alan Trevor (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:

“I suppose he has come for an apology,” said Hughie to himself; and he told the servant to show the visitor up.

Related Characters: Hughie Erskine (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis:

“Millionaire models,” remarked Alan, “are rare enough; but, by Jove, model millionaires are rarer still!”

Related Characters: Alan Trevor (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Beggar (Baron Hausberg) Quotes in The Model Millionaire

The The Model Millionaire quotes below are all either spoken by The Beggar (Baron Hausberg) or refer to The Beggar (Baron Hausberg). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Appearance vs. Reality Theme Icon
).
The Model Millionaire Quotes

“Poor old chap!” said Hughie, “how miserable he looks! But I suppose, to you painters, his face is his fortune?”

“Certainly,” replied Trevor, “you don’t want a beggar to look happy, do you?”

Related Characters: Hughie Erskine (speaker), Alan Trevor (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

“Poor old fellow,” he thought to himself, “he wants it more than I do, but it means no hansoms for a fortnight”; and he walked across the studio and slipped the sovereign into the beggar’s hand.

Related Characters: Hughie Erskine (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Related Symbols: The Sovereign
Page Number: 32
Explanation and Analysis:

“An artist’s heart is his head,” replied Trevor; “and besides, our business is to realise the world as we see it, not to reform it as we know it. A chacun son métier

Related Characters: Alan Trevor (speaker), Hughie Erskine, The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:

“The old man you saw to-day in the studio was Baron Hausberg. He is a great friend of mine, buys all my pictures and that sort of thing, and gave me a commission a month ago to paint him as a beggar. Que voulez-vous? La fantaisie d’un millionnaire!

Related Characters: Alan Trevor (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:

“I suppose he has come for an apology,” said Hughie to himself; and he told the servant to show the visitor up.

Related Characters: Hughie Erskine (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis:

“Millionaire models,” remarked Alan, “are rare enough; but, by Jove, model millionaires are rarer still!”

Related Characters: Alan Trevor (speaker), The Beggar (Baron Hausberg)
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis: