Pride, Arrogance, and Delusion
In “The Remarkable Rocket,” Wilde warns against the effects of a wildly inflated ego. The eponymous Rocket, who has been set up to honor a royal wedding, believes himself to be the most important and admirable individual who has ever lived. Though he fails to perform as a firework should, the Rocket entertains a series of delusions that allow him to maintain his belief in his own grandeur. However, he is not alone in…
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High Society and Snobbery
“The Remarkable Rocket” takes place amidst characters of high society and roundly mocks them. From the royal wedding and the Courtiers to the bundle of fireworks and their pre-flight discussions, Wilde depicts the upper class and its ceremonies and posturing as hollow, offering neither function nor beauty to the world. Through his satire of society people, Wilde insists that their preoccupations and judgments are largely meaningless.
Wilde’s depiction of high society is rife with posturing…
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Fame and Alienation
The Rocket’s sole goal in life is to be famous—that is, widely admired and the talk of the town. Not only does the Rocket desire this, he believes he deserves it, that it is his birthright due to his obvious grandeur and impressive lineage. In the Rocket’s eyes, such success and fame is his inevitable end. Unfortunately, the Rocket’s ego and surety of his own destiny become his downfall, exiling him to the countryside…
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