Identify the author of the story 'Princess September' :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

The correct option is 2:
The author of the story 'Princess September' is, indeed, **William Somerset Maugham**. Maugham was a prolific British playwright, novelist, and short story writer who, at one point, was the highest-paid author in the world. His writing style is typically characterized by a clear, unadorned prose and a cynical, detached observation of human nature and society. While he is most famous for novels like *Of Human Bondage* and *The Moon and Sixpence*, he also excelled at short stories, often employing a narrative framework where he, the author, acts as a narrator or observer of the tales he relates. 'Princess September' is a classic example of Maugham's short fiction, often included in anthologies and literary curricula for its accessible yet profound moral lesson. The story is a delightful fable set in Siam (now Thailand) concerning a young princess who receives a singing parrot and later, a singing bird. The central theme explores the value of freedom over security, illustrating how true happiness and beauty flourish only when they are not confined. Princess September learns this important lesson when she mistakenly locks her little bird in a cage out of fear for its safety, causing the bird to stop singing and start to fade away. The enduring popularity of 'Princess September' lies in its use of simple, fairy-tale elements to convey a sophisticated message about love, possession, and liberty, all rendered in Maugham's signature clear and elegant style.

The incorrect option is 1:
**Hector Hugh Munro** is incorrect. While Munro was a contemporary of Maugham and an equally celebrated short story writer, he is better known by his pseudonym, Saki. Saki’s stories are famous for their witty, often macabre humor, and sharp social satire, exemplified in works like 'The Open Window' and 'Sredni Vashtar.'

The incorrect option is 3:
**Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi** is incorrect. Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi (1916–2006) was a highly respected Pakistani Urdu poet, writer, and journalist. His vast body of work includes fiction, poetry, and literary criticism, but he is known for contributions to Urdu literature, not for writing 'Princess September.'

The incorrect option is 4:
**Stephanie Parker** is incorrect. Stephanie Parker (1987–2009) was a Welsh actress, primarily known for her television roles, such as in the BBC drama *Belonging*. She was not an author, and she is not associated with the authorship of the classic story 'Princess September.'