The correct answer is 2. Rasselas in Samuel Johnson’s Rasselas because the character of Rasselas in The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia famously reflects on the elusiveness of happiness and the challenges of making choices in life.
In the novel, Rasselas is a young prince who grows dissatisfied with the secluded, seemingly perfect life in the Happy Valley, where all his desires are met. He decides to leave and explore the world to discover how to attain true happiness. Throughout his journey, he meets various people from different walks of life, each with their own approaches to happiness. However, Rasselas finds that happiness remains elusive, and no matter what path people take, satisfaction is never complete. His existential realization is that while people spend their lives searching for the perfect way to live (making choices), they often forget to actually live and enjoy life in the present.
The quote “while you are making the choice of life, you neglect to live” captures the essence of this philosophical exploration in the novel. Rasselas and the other characters grapple with the idea that pursuing happiness might actually prevent one from living fully in the moment.
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