Publisher's Synopsis
Rasselas and his siblings, the children of the emperor of Abissinia, are secluded in the "happy valley." They are not able to leave this staggeringly beautiful place until the line of succession calls forth the eldest son, Rasselas, . However they are given everything they could ever desire and are shielded from the world's miseries.While most of the siblings enjoy their pampered and easy lives, Rasselas begins to feel a sense of ennui. He wanders about the forest, bemoaning the tedium of his life. Some of the sages sent to the palace to educate the siblings try to reason with Rasselas, but the young man remains desirous of seeing the wider world.One day Imlac, a learned man, reads a poem to Rasselas and his siblings, which sparks an interest in Rasselas to hear more from the man. The two converse for some time, with Imlac imparting his history about how he ended up in the happy valley. He relates his travels around the world and his interactions with all manner of people, and how weariness brought him here. Rasselas is prompted to confide in him his own desire to escape, and Imlac says he will aid him and leave with him
