The History of Rasselas Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson
While living in the paradisiacal Happy Valley, Rasselas, son of the king of Abysinia, is dissatisfied. He has all material needs provided for and plenty of mild diversions. His restless curiosity makes him long for the outside world. He decides to leave the valley, which is easier said than done. The princes and princesses only get to leave if they have to take the throne. Otherwise they are locked away. Rasselas finds an ally in Imlac, a world traveler who came to the Happy Valley for solace from a hard world. But Imlac is also dissatisfied with the Happy Valley and helps Rasselas escape. One of Rasselas's sisters discovers their plan and goes with them. Out in the real world, they seek the ideal life. They visit many different people from many different classes and occupations, hoping to find someone truly content. The book becomes a long list of failures. Seemingly, everyone has some part of their life that is unhappy or tedious.
The book has plenty of little philosophical discussions in it, for example on the immateriality of the human soul or the value of a life lived according to nature. The main idea is the search for happiness, which is indeed a universal pursuit, from the beginning of mankind to today and into the future. Giving the text an adventure story (the royals escaping and then going incognito through Egypt to learn more about the world) cloaks the discursive nature with action and drama. Johnson even drifts into satire for parts of the story, which I found delightful.
Recommended.
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