| Author |
Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784 |
| Title |
Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 62.7 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
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| Credits |
Transcribed from the 1889 Cassell & Company edition by David Price
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| Summary |
"Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia" by Samuel Johnson is a philosophical tale written in the mid-18th century. The story follows Rasselas, the fourth son of the Emperor of Abyssinia, who resides in a secluded and seemingly idyllic valley, where he and his siblings are raised in comfort and pleasure. However, Rasselas grows increasingly discontent with their sheltered existence, leading him to embark on a quest to explore the meaning of happiness and the nature of human experience. At the start of the narrative, Rasselas begins to feel the weight of his confinement in the Happy Valley, a paradise that offers no real satisfaction for him. Disillusioned by the superficial joys surrounding him, he turns to solitude and quiet contemplation, comparing the simplicity of animal happiness to his own inner turmoil. Rasselas articulates his yearning for purpose as he reflects on the limitations of his princely life, sparking his desire to escape and discover the real world. This opening sets the stage for his exploration of life's complexities, as he seeks out knowledge and understanding beyond the confines of his sheltered upbringing. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
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| Subject |
Satire
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| Subject |
Princes -- Fiction
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| Subject |
Happiness -- Fiction
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| Subject |
Ethiopia -- Fiction
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
652 |
| Release Date |
Sep 1, 1996 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Sep 8, 2020 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
1429 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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