Johnson's Rasselass and the search for happiness : reflections on the optimism of the enlightenment

Abstract EN

Optimism is the tendency to see the bright side of things.

It is also the belief in the natural goodness and reasonableness of man and his right in the pursuit of happiness.

This theory has dominated Europe in the late half of the eighteenth century or in the Age of Reason or the Age of Enlightenment as so likely called .The thinkers of this age believe that perfect happiness is not a mere heavenly reward expected life after but an earthly abstract fact follows the natural laws.

New formulated theories of happiness start to invoke freedom, democracy, socialism and secularity.

They all ask for heavenly happiness on earth which turned to be a hill after a meanwhile.

Conventional thinkers like Samuel Johnson suspect this happiness since it apparently looks at the bright side and neglects the dark bitterness of reality.

He tries in his satirical sense to refute this optimistic view wondering about the real meaning of perfect happiness through Rasselass.

What is happiness then? To answer this question, the writer takes us in an exploring journey deep into the human soul searching for the real meaning of happiness.

The journey bears within the weariness of a whole Age -where happiness is a mere title not real.

Despite its optimistic and new radical theories which have included even religion, happiness is just an out of reach end and an unfulfilled need.

Metaphorically, calling the setting where the events of the story started out as "the Happy Valley" and its hero as Rasselass" referring to his unsatisfied restless truth seeking soul make good evidence for the panting spirit of the age after knowledge and utopia.

In his journey from Abyssinia in the West to Egypt in the East, Rasselass meets so many characters who are supposed to lead him to the real meaning of happiness such as the scientist, the hermit, the ruler, the farmer, the rich man, and the young.

Ironically, they are all proved to be really unhappy at the end of the journey.

The scientist was almost mad thinking himself the guardian god of the universe.

The hermit was a fugitive and religion disguiser.

The rich man was over burden by his wealth and fear of looters.

The ruler was sleeplessly possessed by the curse of authority and fear of enemies.

The farmer was suppressed and yoked by the feudalist.

The glorious power of youth was temporary and short.

The question here:" Is happiness in pursuing science, money, work, power, religion or youth? Is it in life or in death or may be in the life after?' Johnson leaves the answer for the reader to find out.

Introducing such ineffective symbolic characters, in short, enables Johnson reflecting his critique vision of this age and its material theories that absolutely believe in reason, natural laws and progress.

Ironically, more bitterness can be sought detecting the personal reasons behind writing this story.

The journey itself is a symbolic, debatable, meditative and self seeking journey.

The writer takes off deeply inside himself to seek the meaning of happiness which he has lost for long years of loneliness, starving, poverty and incapability of paying even the fund of his mother's funeral despite his fine literary rank.

The scene of death represented by the pyramids and the catacombs at the end of the story brings up a meditative pause not only for Rasselass but for Johnson himself too.

Many questions, therefore, are raised.

Is happiness relative or absolute? Is it immortal like these pyramids or mortal like their inhabitants? And if it is mortal why do we pant after it then? Is it limited within the campus of time and place? Or it is in every time and everywhere and all what we need is to look for it within ourselves first? Being an important representative literary prose work of the Enlightenment Age in the late half of the eighteenth century with its themes, suspects, and satirical styles, the story is chosen for study.

The aim of this research is to shed the light on the Enlightenment literature and its optimistic theory by displaying and analyzing Samuel Johnson's critique vision reflected in his only novel Rasselass.

The research consists of an introductory to the Enlightenment scientific progress and mental movements affected the political, psychological and literary atmosphere at that period.

It defines optimism or the concept of happiness due to the age and clarifies the new literary trends toward prose.

It also presents a short synopsis about Johnson's best works focusing on Rasselass and analyzing its symbolic dimensions that underline Johnson's thoughts and his conflicts.

The research at the end comes up with the conclusion that confirms the importance of this selected work and its role in reflecting the optimistic view of the Enlightenment in creating a utopian world.