''The Reveries of the Solitary Walker'' (French: ''Les rêveries du Promeneur Solitaire'') is an
unfinished book by Genevan
philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...
, written between 1776 and 1778. It was the last of a number of works composed toward the end of his life which were deeply
autobiographical
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life.
It is a form of biography.
Definition
The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...
in nature. Previous elements in this group included ''
The Confessions'' and ''
Dialogues: Rousseau, Judge of Jean-Jacques''.
The book is divided into ten chapters called "Walks" ("Promenades" in the original French). Walks One to Seven are complete, the Eighth and Ninth Walks were completed but not revised by Rousseau, while the Tenth Walk was incomplete at the author's death in 1778. The first publication was in 1782.
The content of the book is a mix of autobiographical
anecdote
An anecdote is "a story with a point", such as to communicate an abstract idea about a person, place, or thing through the concrete details of a short narrative or to characterize by delineating a specific quirk or trait. Occasionally humorous ...
, descriptions of the sights, especially plants, that Rousseau saw in his walks on the outskirts of
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, and elaborations and extensions of arguments previously made by Rousseau in fields like
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
and
political philosophy
Political philosophy or political theory is the philosophical study of government, addressing questions about the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them. Its topics include politics, ...
.
The work is in large parts marked by serenity and resignation, but also bears witness to Rousseau's awareness of the ill-effects of persecution towards the end of his life.
Reception
''The Reveries of the Solitary Walker'' (as it appears in Rousseau's original manuscript) has been described as the most beautiful book composed by Rousseau, comprising a series of exquisitely crafted essays.
It has been argued that each of the ten walks in Rousseau's book has a unique musical tonality combined with internal variations.
"He struck a new romantic note by suggesting that the meditative spirit may always find in nature something responsive to its mood."
Before Rousseau's book the word "reverie" had a negative connotation: a 1771 dictionary defined the word as "ridiculous imagination" or "anxieties and cares that preoccupy the mind." Through his book, Rousseau helped create a positive connotation for the word by reveling in experiences that circumvented conscious thought.
References
External links
*
''Reveries of the Solitary Walker'', audio version* (in English
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1782 non-fiction books
Unfinished books
Works by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Books published posthumously
Literary autobiographies