The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia · Chapter
XXXV: The Princess Languishes for Want of Pekuah explained
Nekayah, having reconciled herself to her loss, sinks into silent pensiveness and gloomy tranquillity, treasuring memories of Pekuah.
What happens
Nekayah, having reconciled herself to her loss, sinks into silent pensiveness and gloomy tranquillity, treasuring memories of Pekuah. She loses interest in pleasure and learning, and resolves to retire into solitude. Imlac and Rasselas counsel her against irrevocable decisions, urging her to re-engage with the world. Rasselas secures a promise from Nekayah to wait a year before any unalterable resolution.
Themes in this chapter
The Inevitability of Suffering
Nekayah's grief over Pekuah's absence illustrates the unavoidable pain of loss.
The Choice of Life
Nekayah's resolution to retire versus Imlac's counsel to re-engage highlights the central choice between solitude and society.
Friendship and Community
Nekayah's dependence on Pekuah's friendship underscores the theme of companionship as essential to happiness.
Characters to notice
- Nekayah
Languishes for Pekuah, recollecting her words and actions; resolves to retire into solitude.
- Imlac
Advises Nekayah against irrevocable determinations and urges her to re-engage with the world.
- Rasselas
Tries to comfort and divert Nekayah; secures her promise to wait a year before any unalterable resolution.
- Pekuah
Absent; her memory dominates Nekayah's thoughts and actions.
Key passages
“She sat from morning to evening recollecting all that had been done or said by her Pekuah, treasured up with care every trifle on which Pekuah had set an accidental value, and which might recall to mind any little incident or careless conversation.”
Nekayah spends her days remembering every detail of Pekuah's words and actions, cherishing even the smallest things Pekuah valued.
Illustrates Nekayah's deep mourning and fixation on Pekuah.
“The time is at hand when none shall be disturbed any longer by the sighs of Nekayah: my search after happiness is now at an end.”
Nekayah declares that she will soon stop troubling others with her grief and that her quest for happiness is over.
Shows her despair and resolution to withdraw from the world.
“The state of a mind oppressed with a sudden calamity, said Imlac, is like that of the fabulous inhabitants of the new-created earth, who, when the first night came upon them, supposed that day would never return.”
Imlac compares a mind struck by sudden grief to people who, experiencing the first night, thought daylight was gone forever.
Imlac's metaphor for the temporary nature of sorrow.