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The remarkable rocket
Charlottesville 1974. 8vo., 21pp., illustrations by Henry E. Coleman, wraps. Printed and bound with handmade papers. Near Fine, light uneven fading of cover.
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1888
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About the author
Oscar Wilde
5,530 books39k followersOscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and his criminal conviction for gross indecency for homosexual acts.
Wilde's parents were Anglo-Irish intellectuals in Dublin. In his youth, Wilde learned to speak fluent French and German. At university, he read Greats; he demonstrated himself to be an exceptional classicist, first at Trinity College Dublin, then at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with the emerging philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles.
Wilde tried his hand at various literary activities: he wrote a play, published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on "The English Renaissance" in art and interior decoration, and then returned to London where he lectured on his American travels and wrote reviews for various periodicals. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversational skill, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day. At the turn of the 1890s, he refined his ideas about the supremacy of art in a series of dialogues and essays, and incorporated themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty into what would be his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). Wilde returned to drama, writing Salome (1891) in French while in Paris, but it was refused a licence for England due to an absolute prohibition on the portrayal of Biblical subjects on the English stage. Undiscouraged, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early 1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late-Victorian London.
At the height of his fame and success, while An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) were still being performed in London, Wilde issued a civil writ against John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry for criminal libel. The Marquess was the father of Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The libel hearings unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his charges and led to his own arrest and criminal prosecution for gross indecency with other males. The jury was unable to reach a verdict and so a retrial was ordered. In the second trial Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years' hard labour, the maximum penalty, and was jailed from 1895 to 1897. During his last year in prison he wrote De Profundis (published posthumously in abridged form in 1905), a long letter that discusses his spiritual journey through his trials and is a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. On the day of his release, he caught the overnight steamer to France, never to return to Britain or Ireland. In France and Italy, he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life.
Wilde's parents were Anglo-Irish intellectuals in Dublin. In his youth, Wilde learned to speak fluent French and German. At university, he read Greats; he demonstrated himself to be an exceptional classicist, first at Trinity College Dublin, then at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with the emerging philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles.
Wilde tried his hand at various literary activities: he wrote a play, published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on "The English Renaissance" in art and interior decoration, and then returned to London where he lectured on his American travels and wrote reviews for various periodicals. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversational skill, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day. At the turn of the 1890s, he refined his ideas about the supremacy of art in a series of dialogues and essays, and incorporated themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty into what would be his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). Wilde returned to drama, writing Salome (1891) in French while in Paris, but it was refused a licence for England due to an absolute prohibition on the portrayal of Biblical subjects on the English stage. Undiscouraged, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early 1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late-Victorian London.
At the height of his fame and success, while An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) were still being performed in London, Wilde issued a civil writ against John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry for criminal libel. The Marquess was the father of Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The libel hearings unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his charges and led to his own arrest and criminal prosecution for gross indecency with other males. The jury was unable to reach a verdict and so a retrial was ordered. In the second trial Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years' hard labour, the maximum penalty, and was jailed from 1895 to 1897. During his last year in prison he wrote De Profundis (published posthumously in abridged form in 1905), a long letter that discusses his spiritual journey through his trials and is a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. On the day of his release, he caught the overnight steamer to France, never to return to Britain or Ireland. In France and Italy, he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
February 24, 2021
The Remarkable Rocket is the story of a self-deluded firework rocket who is full of his own alleged importance and wisdom.
According to analyses, the story is a parody of aristocratic vanity.
My favorite moment is when the rocket meets his match:
According to analyses, the story is a parody of aristocratic vanity.
My favorite moment is when the rocket meets his match:
May 18, 2020
What I like about Wilde's fairytales is that he doesn't always have them from the point of view of the good character. Often we follow the character who is actually in the wrong and it's more of a cautionary tale than anything else. That's once again the case here as well. The rocket thinks the world revolves around him and is incredibly self-centered.
Despite failing to achieve everything he claims he will, he doesn't acknowledge he needs a change of attitude. It is especially ironic when he comes across another self-centered creature and is annoyed by him, but doesn't grasp that he himself is exactly of the same attitude and treats others like that.
The ending had a satisfying 'what goes around comes around' feel to it. But it didn't have as much of an impact on me as some of his other fairytales.
Brief mention of classism was appreciated.
Despite failing to achieve everything he claims he will, he doesn't acknowledge he needs a change of attitude. It is especially ironic when he comes across another self-centered creature and is annoyed by him, but doesn't grasp that he himself is exactly of the same attitude and treats others like that.
The ending had a satisfying 'what goes around comes around' feel to it. But it didn't have as much of an impact on me as some of his other fairytales.
Brief mention of classism was appreciated.
August 16, 2012
Sometimes, it is best it one let's their abilities become know through others and not through boastful accounts of one's self worth. That is the lesson Mr Wilde tries to teach in the tale. Enjoyable and to the point, Wilde encourages us to be all we can be and when we are, to go about gently and not broadcasting our merits to the world at large. Too much self praise doesn't merit high estimation in other's minds.
December 2, 2019
Starts with a beautiful love story... then turns sharply south as we follow a narcissist's downfall.
Oscar Wilde at his romantic, sarcastic best :
------------------------------------------------
"He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand."
"... The King gave orders that the Page's salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great honour, and was duly published in the Court Gazette."
"The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey and dull and cloudy."
" 'It is quite clear that they love each other,' said the little Page, 'as clear as crystal!' and the King doubled his salary a second time."
"'What are fireworks like?' she had asked the Prince... 'They are like the Aurora Borealis,' said the King, who always answered questions that were addressed to other people."
"He always coughed before he made any observation, so as to attract attention."
"What right have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others. In fact, you should be thinking about me. I am always thinking about myself, and I expect everybody else to do the same. That is what is called sympathy."
".... Anybody can have common sense, provided that they have no imagination."
"The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else..."
"It is a very dangerous thing to know one's friends."
"I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments... Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everybody in good society holds exactly the same opinions."
"Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do."
.
Oscar Wilde at his romantic, sarcastic best :
------------------------------------------------
"He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand."
"... The King gave orders that the Page's salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great honour, and was duly published in the Court Gazette."
"The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey and dull and cloudy."
" 'It is quite clear that they love each other,' said the little Page, 'as clear as crystal!' and the King doubled his salary a second time."
"'What are fireworks like?' she had asked the Prince... 'They are like the Aurora Borealis,' said the King, who always answered questions that were addressed to other people."
"He always coughed before he made any observation, so as to attract attention."
"What right have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others. In fact, you should be thinking about me. I am always thinking about myself, and I expect everybody else to do the same. That is what is called sympathy."
".... Anybody can have common sense, provided that they have no imagination."
"The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else..."
"It is a very dangerous thing to know one's friends."
"I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments... Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everybody in good society holds exactly the same opinions."
"Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do."
.
May 3, 2022
Imaginative!
May 30, 2012
About a prideful Rocket that loves the sound of his own voice. Things repeatedly go wrong, but he twist every negative word and even in a way to tickle his vanity.
Wilde was as selfish and vain as they came, so I suppose, you could say the Remarkable Rocket gives us a little glimpse at Oscar.
Wilde was as selfish and vain as they came, so I suppose, you could say the Remarkable Rocket gives us a little glimpse at Oscar.
April 29, 2019
Oh, Oscar Wilde, criticizing people and society as a way of work. The only thing I can say is that I know a few "remarkable" people and this couldn't have been written better.
February 5, 2018
Remarkable meanings in a small story. There is nothing in this book or story that might made it the best but there is everything in this story if anyone tries to understand it in a broader aspect.
Well written, good concept, lovely story, amazing characters and remarkable ending.
Well written, good concept, lovely story, amazing characters and remarkable ending.
March 24, 2022
he’s just like me… i too refuse to believe any criticism i receive
January 19, 2023
This made me laugh almost instantly with the line
‘…the King gave orders that the Page’s salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not much use to him’.
But the story, in all of its 20 or so pages, is a lovely tale of delusion and self-importance told mainly through the experience of the narcissist, the rocket, who eventually meets his match. Ahem.
How can it be all about you, when it’s all about me?
‘…the King gave orders that the Page’s salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not much use to him’.
But the story, in all of its 20 or so pages, is a lovely tale of delusion and self-importance told mainly through the experience of the narcissist, the rocket, who eventually meets his match. Ahem.
How can it be all about you, when it’s all about me?
May 12, 2025
لم يبدو الصاروخ سخيفًا في نظري، بل وجدت أنه كائنٌ يخشى أن يكون عاديًا، يخشى أن ينطفئ دون أن يترك أثرًا.
أعلم أن وايلد صور غرور الصاروخ بسخرية، لكنها ليس المرة الأولى التي أختلف فيها معه، وكلي ثقة بأنه كان سيسمح لي باختلافٍ من هذا النوع، فهو ذاته -أي وايلد- كان يخشى أن ينطفئ دون أن يترك أثرًا، وربما جميعنا نخشى ذلك.
لقد لمست في الصاروخ روحًا تُربتُ على نفسها كي لا تنهار، لقد فسر الصاروخ العالم بالطريقة التي تهبه الطمأنينة، ومن منا لا يسعى لأن يطمئن!.
لقد قدم الصاروخ الدعم الكافي لنفسه، فاستحق أن يروي ويُشاهِدَ ويشهَدَ على قصته التي لم أجد فرقًا يُذكر ما بين أن يشتعل الصاروخ فيها خلال الحفل أو في معزلٍ دون أن يراه أحد؛ ما دام مُقتنًا بأنه ترك الأثر الذي يرجوه ، وأنا كذلك وبذلك مُقتنه، إذ أن القيمة لا تُمنحُ بل تولد من الداخل.
أعلم أن وايلد صور غرور الصاروخ بسخرية، لكنها ليس المرة الأولى التي أختلف فيها معه، وكلي ثقة بأنه كان سيسمح لي باختلافٍ من هذا النوع، فهو ذاته -أي وايلد- كان يخشى أن ينطفئ دون أن يترك أثرًا، وربما جميعنا نخشى ذلك.
لقد لمست في الصاروخ روحًا تُربتُ على نفسها كي لا تنهار، لقد فسر الصاروخ العالم بالطريقة التي تهبه الطمأنينة، ومن منا لا يسعى لأن يطمئن!.
لقد قدم الصاروخ الدعم الكافي لنفسه، فاستحق أن يروي ويُشاهِدَ ويشهَدَ على قصته التي لم أجد فرقًا يُذكر ما بين أن يشتعل الصاروخ فيها خلال الحفل أو في معزلٍ دون أن يراه أحد؛ ما دام مُقتنًا بأنه ترك الأثر الذي يرجوه ، وأنا كذلك وبذلك مُقتنه، إذ أن القيمة لا تُمنحُ بل تولد من الداخل.
February 8, 2015
Arrogant rocket,
He may be full of himself,
But hey, he's happy.
He may be full of himself,
But hey, he's happy.
January 30, 2020
Bruh?? You good???
February 9, 2024
The main character is just like me fr (delusional af)
February 10, 2021
Wilde’s satire about a selfish rocket couldn’t have popped up at a more opportune moment in my life. I’ve spent the last few days thinking about selfishness. Why are people selfish? Why are people selfless? What is a reasonable amount of selfishness? How much can you pin on the individualism of capitalism/white culture, and how much should a person be responsible for? What if I am selfish? Wilde ties selfishness with class. The bourgeoisie are selfish - they think they perform the most important role in society, but actually they perform the least important role - they are merely showy, performative and excessive, just like our Remarkable Rocket. Their classism provides the defensive mechanism that allows them to continuously gas themselves up and act like they’re ‘special’.
In terms of individual responsibility, I have always struggled with pinning selfishness on someone. Not only because I am constantly searching for external context to explain away selfish behaviour as rational and valid, but because I don’t know where the line is between reasonable self-care and unreasonable self-serving behaviour. I can acknowledge when people are selfish in individual situations, but struggle to pinpoint when someone is chronically selfish. I think this is due to me being lucky with friends - most of my close relationships have been with selfless or non-selfish people. Most likely because I avoid any person who exudes selfishness right from the get go. But in the few circumstances where I have made a mistake and am forced to ‘make a call’, I struggle to remove the presumption of selflessness. I’ve only done so a couple of times in my life, and I still don’t know if I made the right decision in those situations.
I wonder if I’m enabling a system of bourgeois selfishness. But, if I did call it out at every turn, I would be too ‘critical’ and be dismissed. I suppose what I’m getting to is: what do you do when selfishness is a normalised part of your historical moment? Ostracise yourself? Help me Oscar. There are too many remarkable rockets.
Audiobook ‘read’. Only read The Remarkable Rocket, as part of a different short stories series.
In terms of individual responsibility, I have always struggled with pinning selfishness on someone. Not only because I am constantly searching for external context to explain away selfish behaviour as rational and valid, but because I don’t know where the line is between reasonable self-care and unreasonable self-serving behaviour. I can acknowledge when people are selfish in individual situations, but struggle to pinpoint when someone is chronically selfish. I think this is due to me being lucky with friends - most of my close relationships have been with selfless or non-selfish people. Most likely because I avoid any person who exudes selfishness right from the get go. But in the few circumstances where I have made a mistake and am forced to ‘make a call’, I struggle to remove the presumption of selflessness. I’ve only done so a couple of times in my life, and I still don’t know if I made the right decision in those situations.
I wonder if I’m enabling a system of bourgeois selfishness. But, if I did call it out at every turn, I would be too ‘critical’ and be dismissed. I suppose what I’m getting to is: what do you do when selfishness is a normalised part of your historical moment? Ostracise yourself? Help me Oscar. There are too many remarkable rockets.
Audiobook ‘read’. Only read The Remarkable Rocket, as part of a different short stories series.
August 22, 2024
A boastful Rocket and his adventures. In a classical Oscar Wilde fashion, the story was funny, and the interactions were too!
The boastful Rocket is so full of himself that he denies seeing anything that is against him.but in the end, all his boasting is useless as no one even notices him in the air or while blasting.
The boastful Rocket is so full of himself that he denies seeing anything that is against him.but in the end, all his boasting is useless as no one even notices him in the air or while blasting.
January 28, 2023
This is a short story about a selfish rocket who is too much in love with himself and thinks he is the most important.
This shows us how no one likes arrogant people’s.
The rocket though he was better than everyone else, but in the end no one seen his moment of glory…
This shows us how no one likes arrogant people’s.
The rocket though he was better than everyone else, but in the end no one seen his moment of glory…
May 28, 2024
I like his stories about sacrifice and love better. This is about greed and selfishness.
September 16, 2022
It was such a humorous story, and though filled with satire and witticism so typical of a Wildean story with quotable epigrams that one would expect in his stories, it made me laugh heartily like a child would when reading a fairy tale. This is supposedly a fairy tale written for children. I do not know if a child would appreciate it as much as an adult would, or the child in the adult who is by now so wary of affectations that, they would immediately relate to this one with mirth.
December 19, 2023
Oscar Wilde is the master of Satire. Through fairytales and short stories he enacts the perfect picture of the society....
Love 💗
Love 💗
September 25, 2019
4.5/5
One of Wilde’s more hilarious and satirical short stories on being remarkable
Quotes:
‘My good creature,’ cried the Rocket in a very haughty tone of voice, ‘I see that you belong to the lower orders. A person of my position is never useful ... Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do.’
‘I like hearing myself talk. I often have long conversations all by myself, and I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.’
‘Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy,’ said the Dragon-fly
‘Well, good-bye; I have enjoyed our conversation very much, I assure you.
‘Conversation, indeed!’ said the Rocket. ‘You have talked the whole time yourself. That is not conversation.’
‘Somebody must listen.’ answered the Frog, ‘and I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments.’
‘He must have a truly romantic nature,’ said the Catherine Wheel, ‘for he weeps when there is nothing at all to weep about.’
‘You can not understand my friendship for the Prince.’
‘Why, you don’t even know him,’ growled the Roman Candle.
‘I never said I knew him,’ answered the Rocket. ‘I dare say that if I knew him I should not be his friend at all. It is a very dangerous thing to know one’s friends.’
‘What is a sensitive person?’ said the Cracker to the Roman Candle.
‘A person who, because he has corns himself, always treads on other people’s toes.’
Any place you love is the world to you
One of Wilde’s more hilarious and satirical short stories on being remarkable
Quotes:
‘My good creature,’ cried the Rocket in a very haughty tone of voice, ‘I see that you belong to the lower orders. A person of my position is never useful ... Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do.’
‘I like hearing myself talk. I often have long conversations all by myself, and I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.’
‘Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy,’ said the Dragon-fly
‘Well, good-bye; I have enjoyed our conversation very much, I assure you.
‘Conversation, indeed!’ said the Rocket. ‘You have talked the whole time yourself. That is not conversation.’
‘Somebody must listen.’ answered the Frog, ‘and I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments.’
‘He must have a truly romantic nature,’ said the Catherine Wheel, ‘for he weeps when there is nothing at all to weep about.’
‘You can not understand my friendship for the Prince.’
‘Why, you don’t even know him,’ growled the Roman Candle.
‘I never said I knew him,’ answered the Rocket. ‘I dare say that if I knew him I should not be his friend at all. It is a very dangerous thing to know one’s friends.’
‘What is a sensitive person?’ said the Cracker to the Roman Candle.
‘A person who, because he has corns himself, always treads on other people’s toes.’
Any place you love is the world to you
December 20, 2016
I think this short story is tied with "The Devoted Friend" in terms of discussion with children. Such good lessons made regarding moral behavior...and it is silly too! I could see an animated individual reading this to a child creating quite a fun time. Added it to my list of stories for my future children. <3
April 27, 2015
It tells us about this narcissistic Rocket (firework) and not realising how selfish he was. He thought a great deal of himself and disregarded everything else for he was 'superior' in nature compared to others. But I don't enjoy reading it however.
October 31, 2013
Just goes to show that no one likes arrogant people. If you're so bent on saying you're better than everyone else, then no one will see your moment of glory.
January 22, 2015
Cute little story about a firecracker who is very much in love with himself and thinks he over-important...
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December 3, 2016
It's a great story about egoism and its impact upon not only those who are dealing with the egoist, but the EGOIST himself.
November 25, 2018
Oscar Wilde's passion for making inanimate objects talk in stories is a MOOD.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews