The story in one page
Rasselas, trapped in the Happy Valley, decides that having every material want satisfied is agonizingly dull. He convinces his sister, Nekayah, and their mentor, Imlac, to break out and explore the world. They head to Cairo to test different lifestyles, from the wealthy and the hermit-like to the academic and the powerful. Everywhere they look, they find that every choice comes with its own specific misery. Whether through kidnapped companions or debates with arrogant sages, they keep running into the same realization: people are rarely happy in their current station. Eventually, they stop chasing an impossible life and decide to head home to Abyssinia, having concluded that no state of existence is actually ideal.
Who's who
- Rasselas
A prince seeking a life of perfect purpose and justice.
- Nekayah
The prince's sister who tests domestic and scholarly life.
- Imlac
A world-traveling mentor who knows that searching is futile.
- Pekuah
The princess's attendant who experiences a brief, tense kidnapping.
What it's really about
- The Choice of Life
- No single way to live escapes all human misery.
- The Vanity of Expectation
- Hope for a perfect state is never rewarded.
Why it's memorable
- The prince realizes a philosopher's wisdom is entirely unusable.
- A princess decides she would prefer to lead a college.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
When the Nile recedes, the party realizes their various schemes for happiness are unattainable. They resolve to stop choosing and return to Abyssinia.
For your book club
- Is searching for the 'right' life just a distraction?
- Why does Imlac let the prince keep asking questions?