The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia · Chapter
The Happiness of Solitude—The Hermit's History explained
The party visits a hermit who has lived in solitude for fifteen years.
What happens
The party visits a hermit who has lived in solitude for fifteen years. Despite his initial appearance of wisdom, the hermit confesses that his retreat has not brought him happiness and that he plans to return to society the next day. He accompanies them back to Cairo.
Themes in this chapter
The Vanity of Human Wishes
The hermit's retreat from the world, intended to secure peace, instead leads to restlessness and regret.
The Choice of Life
The hermit's story serves as a cautionary example for Rasselas and Nekayah in their quest to choose a way of life.
The Illusion of Perfect Places
The hermit's cave, initially idealized as a haven, proves to be a place of mental turmoil and dissatisfaction.
Characters to notice
- Rasselas
Seeks the hermit's direction in the choice of life.
- Imlac
Introduces the purpose of their visit to the hermit.
- Nekayah
Observes the hermit's countenance and later repents her hasty censure.
- The Hermit
Relates his history of military service and fifteen years of solitude, resolving to return to society.
Key passages
“I have indeed lived fifteen years in solitude, but have no desire that my example should gain any imitators.”
The hermit admits that his long solitude has not been a model worth following.
The hermit directly contradicts the notion that solitude guarantees happiness.
“The life of a solitary man will be certainly miserable, but not certainly devout.”
A solitary life leads to misery without necessarily fostering true piety.
The hermit's final judgment on the solitary life, encapsulating the chapter's moral.