Rousseau and Romanticism

What it is

This is a book of literary criticism by Irving Babbitt, Professor of French Literature at Harvard University, examining the relationship between Rousseau's ideas and the rise of Romanticism.

Why it matters

Babbitt's study looks at how Rousseau's emphasis on imagination, feeling, and nature shaped Romantic writers who came after him. It is a secondary source that shows how Rousseau's reputation and influence were debated long after his death.

Look closer

• Why might a scholar in the early 20th century still be writing about Rousseau's influence over a century later?
• What might Babbitt mean by contrasting "classic" and "romantic" ideas?
• How does a critical study like this differ from reading Rousseau's own writing directly?