Princess September — W. Somerset Maugham
About the Author
W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) was a British playwright, novelist, and short story writer. He is known for his clear, unadorned style and his keen observations of human nature. His most famous works include Of Human Bondage, The Razor's Edge, and The Moon and Sixpence.
The Story in Context
'Princess September' is a short story by W. Somerset Maugham, written in the style of a folk tale or fairy tale. It is set in Siam (modern-day Thailand) and follows the youngest of the King's daughters. When her sisters receive grand, material gifts for the King's birthday, Princess September receives a bird in a cage — a gift that teaches her a lasting lesson about love, freedom, and possession.
Plot Summary
Exposition: The King of Siam gives each of his nine daughters a gift for his birthday. The eight older daughters receive expensive presents — silk, jewellery, and other luxuries. The youngest, Princess September, receives a beautiful green parrot in a golden cage.
Rising Action: Princess September loves her parrot. However, one day the parrot dies. She is heartbroken. A little nightingale flies into her room and offers to be her companion. The nightingale sings for her, filling her room with beautiful music.
Climax: September's jealous sisters convince her that the nightingale might fly away and never return. They persuade her to put the nightingale in a cage. The nightingale, once caged, stops singing and falls ill.
Falling Action: Princess September realises her mistake. She opens the cage and lets the nightingale go free. She understands that true love cannot be forced or confined.
Resolution: The nightingale returns freely to sing for September. Her sisters' birds, once they are locked up, stop singing and die. September learns that love must be based on freedom, not possession.
Key Themes
- Freedom vs Possession: The central conflict — whether love means owning or freeing the beloved.
- True Love vs Jealousy: September's sisters are motivated by jealousy, not love.
- Wisdom through Experience: September learns through making a mistake.
- Nature vs Artificiality: The nightingale represents natural beauty; the caged parrot and golden cage represent artificial luxury.
- The Danger of Listening to Bad Advice: The sisters give September harmful advice out of jealousy.
Character Analysis
| Character | Key Traits | Role in Story |
|---|---|---|
| Princess September | Innocent, loving, learns through experience | Protagonist who learns about love and freedom |
| The Nightingale | Free, musical, needs freedom to thrive | Represents true love and natural beauty |
| The Eight Sisters | Jealous, manipulative, materialistic | Antagonists who give bad advice |
| The King of Siam | Distant, formal, a figure of authority | Provides the initial gifts and represents royal tradition |
The Folk Tale Elements
Maugham deliberately writes this story in the style of a traditional folk tale. Elements include: a royal setting, a youngest child who is wiser than her elders, talking birds, magical elements, a clear moral lesson, and a simple narrative structure. The story follows the classic folk tale pattern of a character who must learn a lesson through experience.
Comparison: Parrot vs Nightingale
| Aspect | Parrot | Nightingale |
|---|---|---|
| Gift from | The King | Appears naturally |
| Living situation | In a cage | Free to come and go |
| Song | Repeated phrases | Original, beautiful music |
| Fate | Dies soon after being given | Thrives when free, returns willingly |
| Symbolism | Material wealth | Natural beauty and freedom |
Key Lines for Analysis
- 'It is only when they are free that they sing' — the story's central lesson about freedom and creativity.
- 'If you love anyone, you must let them be free' — the moral summed up in simple terms.
- 'The nightingale came because it loved her' — true love is voluntary.
- 'You cannot force a bird to sing by putting it in a cage' — a metaphor for love and relationships.
Important Facts
- The story is set in Siam (Thailand), reflecting Maugham's travels in Southeast Asia.
- The story uses the folk tale tradition to explore a universal moral lesson.
- The nightingale is a symbol of freedom, beauty, and natural love.
- The cage represents possession, control, and the destruction of love.
- The sisters remain unnamed, reinforcing the folk tale quality.
Common Mistakes in ICSE Exams
| Mistake | Correction |
|---|---|
| Calling the story a fairy tale with magic | It is a folk-tale style story, not a fairy tale with magical elements |
| Missing the symbolism of the cage | The cage represents possession, control, and jealousy |
| Ignoring the sisters' role | The sisters' jealousy drives the conflict |
| Saying the nightingale is ungrateful | The nightingale stops singing because it needs freedom |
| Forgetting the Siamese setting | The setting is culturally specific and influences the story |
ICSE Exam Focus
| Question Type | Marks | Key Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Plot summary and structure | 3–4 | Sequence of events, moral learning |
| Character analysis | 4–5 | Princess September or the sisters |
| Theme analysis | 4–5 | Freedom vs possession, true love, jealousy |
| Folk tale elements | 3 | How the story follows folk tale conventions |
| Symbolism | 3–4 | Cage, nightingale, song, parrot |
Self-Test Questions
Q1: What gift does Princess September receive from the King? A1: Princess September receives a beautiful green parrot in a golden cage. Her older sisters receive expensive gifts like silk, jewellery, and other luxuries.
Q2: What happens after the parrot dies? A2: After the parrot dies, Princess September is heartbroken. A little nightingale flies into her room and offers to be her companion, filling her room with beautiful music.
Q3: Why do the sisters advise September to put the nightingale in a cage? A3: The sisters are jealous of September's happiness. Out of envy, they convince her that the nightingale might fly away and never return, so she should 'protect' her love by caging it.
Q4: What lesson does Princess September learn? A4: Princess September learns that true love cannot be forced or confined. If you love someone, you must let them be free. When she opens the cage, the nightingale returns willingly because it loves her.
Q5: What does the nightingale symbolise in the story? A5: The nightingale symbolises true love, freedom, natural beauty, and creativity. Its song — which flourishes only when it is free — represents the joy that comes from voluntary, unforced love.
Q6: How does the story end for the eight sisters? A6: After seeing September's happiness with the free nightingale, the sisters lock their own birds in cages. The birds stop singing and eventually die. The sisters are left with silent, dead birds — a consequence of their jealousy and misunderstanding of love.
Q7: What makes 'Princess September' a folk tale? A7: The story has folk tale characteristics: a royal setting, a youngest child who proves wisest, talking birds, a clear moral lesson, unnamed characters except for the protagonist, and a simple, linear narrative structure.
Key Vocabulary
- Siam: The former name of Thailand
- Nightingale: A small bird known for its beautiful song
- Folk Tale: A traditional story with a moral lesson
- Possession: The state of owning or controlling something
- Jealousy: Envy of another's good fortune
- Free Will: The ability to act voluntarily
- Artificial: Made by human hands, not natural
Final Summary
'Princess September' is a deceptively simple folk-tale style story that explores a profound truth about love and freedom. Through the relationship between a young princess and a nightingale, Maugham illustrates that true love cannot be possessed, controlled, or caged. Love must be given freely to flourish. The story's moral — 'If you love someone, you must let them be free' — is as relevant today as when the story was written. For ICSE students, the story offers an accessible entry point into understanding symbolism, character development, and the power of simple narrative forms.
