The Remarkable Rocket by Oscar Wilde

Name: The Remarkable Rocket
Author: Oscar Wilde

A royal wedding is celebrated with great fanfare as the King's son marries a beautiful Russian Princess. The festivities include a grand banquet and a ball, culminating in a fireworks display. Among the fireworks is a self-important Rocket, who believes he is destined for greatness. He boasts about his lineage and his supposed remarkable qualities, while dismissing the other fireworks as inferior. As the fireworks begin, the Rocket fails to ignite due to his dampness from tears, while the other fireworks soar beautifully into the sky. After the celebration, the Rocket is discarded into a ditch by workmen, who deem him a "bad rocket." He believes he is merely resting and will soon return to court, where he imagines he will be celebrated. In the ditch, he encounters a Frog who enjoys the mud and a Duck who questions his worth. The Rocket, still self-absorbed, dismisses their practicality and continues to boast about his future. He is eventually picked up by two boys who plan to use him to help boil a kettle. As they light a fire, the Rocket believes he will finally achieve his long-awaited moment of glory. After a prolonged wait, the Rocket ignites and shoots into the air, expecting to create a grand spectacle. However, no one witnesses his explosion, and he realizes that his moment of fame has gone unnoticed. Ultimately, he is reduced to a mere stick, falling onto a Goose, who humorously remarks about the rain of sticks. The Rocket's aspirations for recognition and grandeur end in obscurity, highlighting themes of vanity, self-importance, and the fleeting nature of fame.

By Oscar Wilde · First published 1888 · Genre: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Satire · 5,412 words

First lines

The King's son was going to be married, so there were general rejoicings. He had waited a whole year for his bride, and at last she had arrived. She was a Russian Princess, and had driven all the way from Finland in a sledge drawn by six reindeer. The sledge was shaped like a great golden swan, and between the swan's wings lay the little Princess herself. Her long ermine-cloak reached right down to her feet, on her head was a tiny cap of silver tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow Palace in which she had always lived. So pale was she that as she drove through the streets all the people wondered. "She is like a white rose! " they cried, and they threw down flowers on her from the balconies.

What this Textopian page supports

The Remarkable Rocket is listed on Textopian as a short story by Oscar Wilde, dated 1888 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Oscar Wilde
Date: 1888 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Satire, Fable, Adventure
Length: 5,412 words
Structure: 1 section, 105 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

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Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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How does this short story by Oscar Wilde fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Fantasy — The story features magical elements such as fireworks that can talk and a royal wedding, creating a fantastical setting.
Children's Literature — The narrative style and themes are suitable for children, focusing on moral lessons and whimsical characters.
Satire — The Rocket's self-importance and the commentary on societal norms reflect satirical elements regarding vanity and ego.
Fable — The story conveys moral lessons through anthropomorphized characters, similar to traditional fables.