The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia
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The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia, often abbreviated to Rasselas, is a short story by Samuel Johnson. He wrote the piece in January 1759 to help support his seriously ill mother, although the money he made was ultimately spent on her funeral (she had died whilst Johnson was writing).
Johnson was influenced by the vogue for exotic locations. He had translated A Voyage to Abyssinia by Jeronimo Lobo in 1735 and used it as the basis for what was described as a "philosophical romance".
The plot concerns Rasselas, son of the King of Abissinia [sic] (modern day Ethiopia), who leaves his home in company with his sister, Nekayah, and a philosopher, Imlac, to seek adventure. His observation of other kinds of people eventually leads to the conclusion that there is no easy path to happiness, and he returns to Abissinia along with his companions.
External links
- Full text (http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/288/1985/frameset.html)
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