Rousseau and Romanticism

"Rousseau and Romanticism" by Irving Babbitt is a critical analysis from the early 1900s that investigates Jean-Jacques Rousseau's impact on the Romantic movement, examining the conflict between Romantic and classical ideas in literature and philosophy. The book concentrates on understanding the philosophical foundations of Romantic thinking, especially how it relates to individualism and naturalism. The author's aim is to dissect Rousseau's deep influence on Romanticism by looking at the broader cultural conversation, rather than providing a complete biography or philosophical review of Rousseau. Babbitt's main concern is with the consequences of Romantic naturalism and individualism as evident in Rousseau's work, which he compares to the stability he finds in classicism within humanism. By setting up this contrast, Babbitt critiques both the excesses and the inherent worth of Romanticism, clarifying his philosophical perspective from the start.