Seminar Notes on The History of Rasselas
Prof. Ramirez
Chapter XIV
Johnson introduces one of the two female characters in Rasselas, Nekayah.
Nekayah gains the trust of Rasselas through her observation of his scheme
to escape the “happy valley.” The happy valley, however, is not forgotten
entirely, as will be seen in the concluding chapter of the narrative.
Chapter XV
Rasselas, Nehayah, Pekuah, and Imlac ascend the mountain and seek the aperture
which will give them freedom. The mountain in this episode functions as a
womb, the image is one of birthing; the group leave one life behind and embark
on another one.
Having entered into world of commerce and danger, Rasselas and Nekayah must
downplay their noble rank, lest they become targets of crime.
Chapter XVI
The “choice of life” becomes a readily identifiable theme in the text. Imlac
points out some people will often delight in the trouble of their companions
simply because another individual’s woe makes one’s own state bearable.
Chapter XVII
Rasselas looks to men of his own age for insight about the “choice of life.”
His moral rectitude and warning to his counterparts make him the object of
laughter.
Chapter XVIII
Rasselas listens to a “wise and happy man” who preaches about the temperance
of the passions. However, when he loses his daughter, the sage fails to take
his own advice and he enters into a state of despair.
As the voice of wisdmo, Imlac warns “Be not too hasty. . . to trust, or
to admire, the teachers of morality: they discourse like angels, but they
live like men (80).
Chapter XIX
Nekayah imagines herself as a shepherdess, one who can avoid the evils of
city life.
Chapter XX
Johnson pays attention to the power struggles in Egypt through the example
of the wealthy man living in the woods. Though prosperous, he lives in fear
because he is at odds with the Bassa. A bassa/bashaw is a Turk of high rank.
Chapter XXI
The party meets the hermit who seeks to return to the world he left behind.
Solitude is no comfort. The only advice the hermit can offer is to avoid
evil.
Chapter XXI
On Rasselas’s return to Cairo, he listens to various opinions about the
hermit. Johnson brings up the important idea of perspective: “Of the present
state, whatever it be, we feel, and are forced to confess, the misery yet,
when the same state is again at a distance, imagination paints it as desirable.”
87
Chapter XXII
This is an especially important chapter because Johnson makes fun of “jargon.”
In his pursuit of the “choice of life,” Rasselas listens to “a wise and happy
man,” a rhetor. However, the rhetor says nothing wholly of substance; he speaks
in generalities about following the nature of things. The more Rasselas listens
to him, the less clear he is about the rhetor’s point.
The study of theory can lead to a reliance on jargon wherein much is said,
but in general or obscure terms. The way to avoid this pitfall is to use specifics
and examples to illustrate a point.
Chapter XXIII
This chapter is especially important because it allows us to discuss the
ideas of two separate spheres.The separate spheres idea is that women occupy
the home and men circulate in the world of commerce and politics. Keep the
separate spheres idea in mind for our discussion of Dickens.
Chapter XXIV
This chapter continues to evaluate the power struggles of the Middle East.
The party meet the Bassa (Turkish) who is engaged in a power struggle with
the Arab sultan.
Chapter XXV
Nekayah sees no complete happiness in the homes she has visited.
Chapter XXVI
Nehayah explains the competition and discord between parents and children.
Chapter XXVII
Johnson returns to the power theme of the narrative. Rasselas recognizes
that civic hierarchies create rivalries between one public servant and another.
Moreover, those people who are virtuous are not necessarily happier than
those who are less virtuous. In other words, ills can befall both the good
and bad.